Do not think that Rush won't see your entries. He slums here on FR. He really does.
In November 1988, I was driving through the Central Valley of California. My company car only had AMFM so I was scanning through stations trying to find something to listen to. I found Rush and my first thought was, this guy saying what I think. I was so impressed I tried to remember his name to find him on a station in Southern California. Probably about february 1989 I saw KFI640 Billboard with Rushes name on it and I’ve been listening ever since.
I first saw him on his TV show during summer vacation. My Mom watched it, and I sat in for a few.
If I remember right he had a show on TV.
I lived in VA, near Langley AFB, with several military family neighbors. I was all worried about the start of Gulf War I, and fretting way too much. My dear Auntie encouraged me that all would be well. She said I needed to listen to Rush Limbaugh. I said, “Who?” So, the next day or so, I tuned in for the first time, and the rest...as they say...is history. Have listened ever since, and enjoyed every bit!
1992? My father said “you’ve got to listen to this guy!”
I believe it was late 1989 or early 1990. It was in the winter in Yuma, Arizona.
I arrived there in September of 1989 to take over the leadership of the Meteorology Team at Yuma Proving Ground. I was visiting one of the upper air radiosonde sites (building 3555 on KOFA) when I heard Rush on the radio. I asked who was that on the radio?
I was told it was Rush Limbaugh.
I don't think Rush does them much anymore, but he used to have the "update" segments with sound effects which were pretty funny.
Rush plays it safer now, and doesn't push the envelope like he used to. He's still great, just different.
Air campaign began in the first Gulf War. I was searching for news on the radio, and I heard a guy talking about how liberals were whining about how we were being mean to the enemy.
I was walking through my small town Walmart (pre-Super Center) in ‘93 and they had him on and he was going on about Clinton being a gifted liar. I was hooked.
My parents had one of those huge console stereo systems, so I was fiddling with the dial one day and found this guy that was talking about the war so I stopped and listened and ended up listening for the entire show.
My parents were not really big into politics and being a typical teenager I couldn't even tell you what the difference between the two parties was let alone what a "conservative" believed. But this guy on the radio was talking about politics and not only did I find myself paying attention, I also found that I agreed with pretty much everything he said. For the first time in my young life I felt I somewhat understood why the country worked the way it did.
Then my parents started listening because I had the stereo on most of the afternoon and they agreed with this guy that was saying things even they had never heard or paid attention to before and he was entertaining at the same time.
So that is how Rush Limbaugh converted an entire non-political family into die hard conservatives. My mom, who is now 82 still never misses his show as do I, at age 44 now, (at least when my work schedule allows). And I'm sure my dad is still listening from heaven....
My husband discovered him first, although I don’t know how he found him. I hadn’t heard him yet, and we were walking through Disneyworld with our 4 children when we passed the Star Wars ride. They were playing the music that Rush used to play when he was talking about Gorbachev, and my husband blurted out “Gorbasm!” I thought he said something else and looked at him in disbelief and embarrassment. On our drive home, he was playing Rush on the car radio and he explained what a Gorbasm was. That was in 1991.
Below is what I wrote on the Rush thread, earlier today::
“””””Rush— when you first came on the radio, on WABC, in my area, I had always been listening to other political hosts.
When you came on, that first day, one thing you said, at the beginning, was that you would not be doing guests and interviews.
What?? I just looked at the radio, and said “ how long will YOU last???
Boy was I wrong!! Wasn’t long before I realized you didn’t need anyone. You were unique in yourself.
Many more years to you! You are the best!
1992, summer. Saw his TV show. Was very impressed and found myself watching someone saying exactly what I was thinking already.
In 1993, I found his radio show while driving to work.
The one thing I heard was that he was giving information not available anywhere else. Nowhere. The Internet wasn’t alive much, so I was relying on Rush to give information and perspective I didn’t have access to otherwise.
Saw a big write-up in one of the Detroit papers about 25 years ago. The next afternoon I started listening, and the rest is history.
January 1990. NEVER forget it. I was CEO of a small, very successful technology corporation and we had just moved our corp. offices. My top VP, a P.E. with an MBA, & a fantastic conservative, told me I HAD to listen to this conservative guy on the radio.
I NEVER listen to talk radio of any kind, period. I told him I did not like listening to talkers. He kept persuading me until I turned on Rush.
I will never forget it. 5 minutes and I wasn’t just in awe - I was hooked. For the first time in my life I could not turn the radio off! I could not believe I actually listened to some stranger talk for over an hour - and could not wait to hear what he said next.
Next day I became addicted. Began listening daily. Could not wait for Monday’s for Rush to come back. That was 18 1/2 years ago.
Yes, there have been a few times I disagreed with Rush. But not many. I do indeed believe he is a gift from God, and has so influenced our nation - perhaps more than any individual in my life - in the recovery and maintaining of conservative truth. He is fearless with the truth, and probably the most convincing, articulate, and logical voice in our world.
I think without Rush we would not have Trump.....we’d be watching the 2nd 8 years - and probably the final ones- in the destruction of our nation under Hillary.
I truly feared for our nation when he went deaf. I didn’t think we could take the loss. But God, in a sense, raised him from the dead, and gave him back to us.
I cannot thank the Lord enough for this man. Perfect? No. Only the Lord Jesus was perfect. But the most influential man of the last 3 decades.
I trust the Lord to keep him with us for at least another decade.
The Lord knows we need him.
Who else can be a counter-balance to the dominance of the communist media and their Democrat party minions?
I believe the host was Larry Elder of 970 KABC AM in Los Angeles.
Anyhow, I recoiled, upon realizing what I was being exposed to, but soon began to root for the liberal callers who were trying to match wits with him. Didn't take long for me to become impressed with Larry's ability to knock them out, one by one. He literally destroyed every argument thrown at him with facts, logic, common sense, and a good dose of cheerfulness.
He also shook my whole worldview of the left vs right political dynamic.
I was so impressed wth Larry, that I began seeking out other evil right wing talk radio shows to quench my newfound thirst for truth. I'm pretty sure I found El Rushbo within the first few days of looking. He soon became a fixture on my radio dial, and still is today.
In late 1989, I was in my Mom’s car and she was listening to Rush. I said to her “how can you listen to this liberal crap?” And she said “I don’t think Rush is liberal.”
I had never heard a conservative commentator before so it took over an hour to convince myself Rush was indeed conservative. I’ve listen to 90% of Rush’s shows since and I am a better man for it. Thank you Rush Limbaugh.
And I think what Rush did for talk radio and the conservative movement set the stage for Trump to do the exact same thing for conservatives in the political world. I love Trump and Rush.
I saw the ads on Denver TV promoting the coming of his TV show. “Most dangerous man in America!” Started watching to see what he was about and was hooked. Great education for someone who had never considered politics one way or the other.
WABC radio Monday July 4, 1988
1992, on the recommendation of my then college age son I turned on wabc 77 radio, New York, and heard Rush for the first time. He was the cure for my “deep” political depression. :-)
“Two for the price of one” kept reverberating in my head, it was awful, but knowing that I was not alone helped a great deal.
Happy Anniversary Rush and EIB!!