LISTEN: Rush Limbaugh Attempts To Defend Himself Against Accusations Of Selling Out

[INVAR]

However, I wish Rush would stop with the Nevertrump references. It doesn't matter if there are those to whom Trump can do absolutely no good - at some point we need to stop highlighting divisions on our side.

"Our side"?  I do not think that exists anymore and Rush and the GOP and the Trump Faithful have made that perfectly clear.  We were told to shut up, get on the train or get out.

So - they are not on 'my side' and the division they put there - is one they continually reinforce.

Obviously Rush is personally irritated with those who've been openly critical of his failure to walk the conservative talk during the primaries, but today he's not doing his own purported agenda any favors with these references. We really need to put this behind us.

By ignoring the fact that Conservative principles are no longer seen to be valid or of importance enough to effect policy?   

"Limbaugh even went on to say on his Wednesday show that he saw no one in that vast bench of talent at the beginning of the primary season who could beat Hillary Clinton"

Which means Limbaugh never really believed his statement that Conservatism works every single time it's tried, and that principles matter above all else and will win every single time they are tried and expounded.

Instead he went with a lifelong NYC Liberal Democrat as the ONLY person who could 'beat' Hildabeast.

So I listen to him no more and pay him no regard as any voice of Conservatism.

[BassWrangler]

From my perspective I see Rush as having been TOTALLY honest!  I personally heard him say MANY TIMES that Trump was not ideological and thus not a conservative!  He also pointed out several times that if you were conservative you had only one choice in this primary and that choice is TED CRUZ!

You can deny that he did those things till hell freezes over if you want but it will not change the FACT that he did them!

I am in total agreement with @Bigun here. What I heard coming from Rush during the primaries was someone who clearly didn't want to endorse any candidate. He even said so at one point, because he was getting flack from the supporters of various candidates. After Trump won the primary, Rush did get behind him. Throughout it all he went after Hillary.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

I am in total agreement with @Bigun here. What I heard coming from Rush during the primaries was someone who clearly didn't want to endorse any candidate. He even said so at one point, because he was getting flack from the supporters of various candidates. After Trump won the primary, Rush did get behind him. Throughout it all he went after Hillary.

If you cannot trust the well-reasoned opinion of a guy who literally ends every single sentence in an exclamation point, who can you trust right?

[roamer_1]

The liars that write for Red State are vile people.

What he said is perfectly true.

[Frank Cannon]

when conservatives had such a wealth of good choices to go with as nominee,

Sure thing PinkState. Let's see....we had Grahamnesty, JEB!, Kasich, Rubio, Christie Creme. So many Awesome severely Conservative WINNERS to choose from.

Eff you PinkState, you pile of worthless horse shit. You guys were pimping for garbage like the exposed fraud McMuffin. You have no credibility and only Glenn Beck flakes even take you seriously anymore.

#MAGA

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

@Weird Tolkienish Figure

I've removed your insult.

Folks, let's show some restraint.

[roamer_1]

No worries mate!  Just like always, the rest of us will do it for you!

Knock yourself out.

[Old Warrior in Exile]

Is that old windbag still on the air?

[Cripplecreek]

I am in total agreement with @Bigun here. What I heard coming from Rush during the primaries was someone who clearly didn't want to endorse any candidate. He even said so at one point, because he was getting flack from the supporters of various candidates. After Trump won the primary, Rush did get behind him. Throughout it all he went after Hillary.

That's the same shtick he runs with in every election. I can hunt down his 2012 interview with Greta Van Sustren where he declared Rick Santorum to be the only true conservative in the race BUT....

He should drop the act and just come out and say he really doesn't care about social issues as long as they leave his money alone. At least that would be honest. While he's at it, Limbaugh, Hannity, and others should drop their false outrage over the "fake media". They're from the same litter of pups and are no different than anyone else. Their claim to be different is about as valid as Newt's claim to be a DC outsider.

[XenaLee]

I still love Rush for many reasons, not the least of which is that he makes lefties' heads explode.  They literally HATE him.   They have that in common with quite a few Trump-bashers here.  And Rush is, as usual, laughing all the way to the bank.... as his bashers continue to flail blindly at him.  That's the reality.  Suck on it, lefties.  Suck on it good and hard.

[Old Warrior in Exile]

I still love Rush for many reasons, not the least of which is that he makes lefties' heads explode.  They literally HATE him.   They have that in common with quite a few Trump-bashers here.  And Rush is, as usual, laughing all the way to the bank.... as his bashers continue to flail blindly at him.  That's the reality.  Suck on it, lefties.  Suck on it good and hard.

You go, girl!

[driftdiver]

I still love Rush for many reasons, not the least of which is that he makes lefties' heads explode.  They literally HATE him.   They have that in common with quite a few Trump-bashers here.  And Rush is, as usual, laughing all the way to the bank.... as his bashers continue to flail blindly at him.  That's the reality.  Suck on it, lefties.  Suck on it good and hard.

[EC]

I'm good with that. Rush is, as you correctly say, laughing all the way to the bank. Without my money. 

[Jazzhead]

Rush is a smart guy and fun to listen to. And I think that, on most things, he says what he believes.  But he's always said that he's an entertainer first and foremost.  That means he doesn't report the news, he spins and comments on it.   

[Jazzhead]

What I heard coming from Rush during the primaries was someone who clearly didn't want to endorse any candidate. He even said so at one point, because he was getting flack from the supporters of various candidates. After Trump won the primary, Rush did get behind him. Throughout it all he went after Hillary.

That sounds about right to me.   Entertainers don't take sides in primary battles.  Why alienate a large chunk of one's audience?   

[driftdiver]

That sounds about right to me.   Entertainers don't take sides in primary battles.  Why alienate a large chunk of one's audience?

Why would any media person take a side contrary to the majority of their customer base?

[roamer_1]

Without my money. 

yep. ever since Romney.
Nevermore.

[skeeter]

"Our side"?  I do not think that exists anymore and Rush and the GOP and the Trump Faithful have made that perfectly clear.  We were told to shut up, get on the train or get out.

So - they are not on 'my side' and the division they put there - is one they continually reinforce.

By ignoring the fact that Conservative principles are no longer seen to be valid or of importance enough to effect policy?   


Which means Limbaugh never really believed his statement that Conservatism works every single time it's tried, and that principles matter above all else and will win every single time they are tried and expounded.

Instead he went with a lifelong NYC Liberal Democrat as the ONLY person who could 'beat' Hildabeast.

So I listen to him no more and pay him no regard as any voice of Conservatism.

With his disposal of the term 'conservative' it does seem like Limbaugh has thrown in with the populists.

I'd be interested to hear from him what he thinks 'conservative' means these days - I hear him applying the inappropriately & almost derogatorily all the time, as if referred simply to an opposing political faction rather than being an overarching political and social philosophy.

What does he believe? Does he think our medical insurance system needs to take care of everybody? Is he a economic Keynesian now?

Maybe he has only been an entertainer all along.

[INVAR]

With his disposal of the term 'conservative' it does seem like Limbaugh has thrown in with the populists.

I'd be interested to hear from him what he thinks 'conservative' means these days - I hear him applying the inappropriately & almost derogatorily all the time, as if referred simply to an opposing political faction rather than being an overarching political and social philosophy.

What does he believe? Does he think our medical insurance system needs to take care of everybody? Is he a economic Keynesian now?

Maybe he has only been an entertainer all along.

I think so.  I think Rush demonstrated that what really matters the most is being able to charge confiscatory advertising rates and garnering the biggest audience and I think he assumed (perhaps correctly) that the majority of Americans are no longer interested in Conservatism or Conservative Principles - and would prefer Populism and Socialism if packaged correctly.

I think some of the discourse on this board and other formerly "Conservative" forums is a good indicator of that fact.  America has already been fundamentally transformed via decades of incrementalism and Conservatism is either rejected or seen as inadequate to provide what the people want.

So Rush may have the pulse of what is now Populist Social Nationalism, but those of us who were led to believe Limbaugh actually believed in what he preached for decades have learned it was all an act for ratings and self-promotion.

I wish I had all the money back that I spent on the decades of being a Limbaugh letter subscriber and 24/7 member. 

Walking away from betrayal is becoming a learned practice these days.

[roamer_1]

Walking away from betrayal is becoming a learned practice these days.

Like never before.

[Sanguine]

I have more respect for Rush now then before the election.  He didn't take sides until after the primaries although he did tend towards Cruz.

Rush is a businessman not a religious leader.   I figure we can work with what we have and move this country back from the abyss or we can sit and throw a temper tantrum.

No, he didn't. During the primaries, he would say he admires Cruz and then spend the next 2.9 hours speaking about Trump in glowing terms.

[INVAR]

No, he didn't. During the primaries, he would say he admires Cruz and then spend the next 2.9 hours speaking about Trump in glowing terms.

I remember when a woman called into his show during the primary and said that if Trump was the nominee, she could not in good conscience vote for Trump and would go third party - and Rush said plain as day : "Then you are voting for Hillary" - upon which I immediately turned off his show and never again put it on after decades of being a loyal listener.

But I saw the handwriting on the wall.  I had cancelled my 24/7 membership about a month prior to that call, and after I heard that - I was done with him period.

Limbaugh is a party loyalist before he has fealty to the principles he paid lip service to all those years apparently.

In fact, they all do.  Levin was the last one I held onto listening to, and finally couldn't when he too revealed he was all talk after repeatedly warning the GOP he was an inch from leaving their party - only to insist all of us vote for them and for Trump.

I can say that I feel a whole lot better having given talk radio the heave-to, and the only time I get my blood pressure up is when I have to read all the stupidity rather than hearing a steady diet of it 6 or more hours a day.

[Sanguine]

I remember when a woman called into his show during the primary and said that if Trump was the nominee, she could not in good conscience vote for Trump and would go third party - and Rush said plain as day : "Then you are voting for Hillary" - upon which I immediately turned off his show and never again put it on after decades of being a loyal listener.

But I saw the handwriting on the wall.  I had cancelled my 24/7 membership about a month prior to that call, and after I heard that - I was done with him period.

Limbaugh is a party loyalist before he has fealty to the principles he paid lip service to all those years apparently.

In fact, they all do.  Levin was the last one I held onto listening to, and finally couldn't when he too revealed he was all talk after repeatedly warning the GOP he was an inch from leaving their party - only to insist all of us vote for them and for Trump.

I can say that I feel a whole lot better having given talk radio the heave-to, and the only time I get my blood pressure up is when I have to read all the stupidity rather than hearing a steady diet of it 6 or more hours a day.

I still listen to Levin.  He's been very even-handed and consistent. 

[catfish1957]

Yeah, he sold out and lost plenty of listeners like me.

Water over the bridge at this point.  Not worth worrying about it.

[Sanguine]

Yeah, he sold out and lost plenty of listeners like me.

Water over the bridge at this point.  Not worth worrying about it.

Agreed.  Rush who?