Professor Rush "We gotta redefine smart"

[vetalalumni]

An excerpt from Rush on April 9, 2009. See transcript at http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/dai...109.guest.html

Rush wanted to show his listening audience how badly he

... misread the public mood or misunderstood the power of cult followers.

At the end, Rush says

I'm not gonna bother analyzing the voters. They're cult followers; they don't care what he says; it's how he says it, blah, blah, blah, blah.

And

We gotta redefine smart.

[turkeycall]

. . . and we're not going to bother analysing the dittoheads or any other kind of political wingnut. Talk about cult followers!

I am reminded of the old newsreels which show the German army goosestepping in lockstep, all under the outstretched arm and evil eye of Uncle Adolph. How entertaining, yet dangerous it is to have a cult figure like Rush. He is a court jester without a king, a little corporal who would lead thousands upon thousands into the spiral of delusion.


Rush is the antithesis of "smart," at the other end of the spectrum where Olberman and Maddow try to outdo each other in being snarky. They all have their knobs set on "Perma-spin."

Just give me the events of the day straight up. The news speaks for itself. Give it to me but don't tell me how to analyse it. If it's important enough, I'll do it myself. I can always write a letter to the editor.

[Big Dog]

I agree, Limbloat is dangerous and could be very dangerous.

[ccbatson]

"We aren't going to bother analysing Dittoheads......ummm, wait a minute, what is this thread, at its' essence, doing?

I love it, this anti Rush agenda is making him more popular and listened to than ever...another backfire for Obama.

[vetalalumni]

... where Olberman and Maddow try to outdo each other in being snarky. They all have their knobs set on "Perma-spin."

Agreed.

Also, Rush's definition of American exceptionalism includes both America's many admirable virtues and shameful flaws rolled together into one. And prominent Republicans and conservatives don't often renounce his assertions when appropriate.

[ccbatson]

Which flaws are those?

[mauser]

Rush Limbaugh at this point is like a WWII Japanese soldier on a south Pacific island who doesnt realize that the war had been lost years ago.

[turkeycall]

[quote=ccbatson;5962 I love it, this anti Rush agenda is making him more popular and listened to than ever...another backfire for Obama.[/quote]


Well, another dittohead has been heard from.


Anything said by a conservative wignut, no matter how far out it might be - even half-truths told to cast any politician who might be anywhere left of his lunatic fringe in a bad light - is all right by bats. The truth doesn't matter. How Hitleresque!


Pilate to Christ: What is truth? In other words, who cares about the truth? It is whatever I say it is.


Rush's lies, told often enough, become the truth to dittoheads. He who shouts the loudest or posts the most messages with accusations of socialism and collectivism must be right.


Rush cannot survive without people like bats, and bats cannot survive without gasbags like Rush. It's a symbiotic relationship. They feed off each other.

[HPGrmln]

Sorry, gotta agree with ccbatson..
The more you guys write about him and discuss him, the more you legitimize him. Youve paid attention to what he's said and are repeating it, giving him credit for the quotes.
Youve helped him more than hurt him. He's successfully struck a nerve with the anti-"dittoheads".
Youve given him the publicity he wants for free.

[vetalalumni]

The more you guys write about him and discuss him, the more you legitimize him.

In fact, Rush is a great asset because he inadvertantly strengthens opposing arguments. Illegitimacy is not redefined legitimate magically, or by mere personality alone. Authentic is both humble and strong.

Youve paid attention to what he's said and are repeating it, giving him credit for the quotes.

It is wise to analyze powerful influences, whether agreed with or not. To ignore would be detrimentally arrogant.

Youve helped him more than hurt him.

Contrary, he ultimately hurts his followers to their detriment. He appears to not care about that. As far as helping Rush [[financially?), I'll take that anyday [[in the scheme of things). This is America after all.

He's successfully struck a nerve with the anti-"dittoheads".

Nope. Not wearing emotions or sentiments on my sleeve at all. About the best Rush has done is reveal that many who disagree with him wisely want him to continue. Other than that, admittedly he has caused some to reveal their strategically held hand. Furthermore, and fundamentally, striking a nerve is typically a dishonorable tactic anyway

Youve given him the publicity he wants for free.

The free publicity supports opposing arguments and ultimately hurts his followers.

Hey Rush - Rock on !!! Run for office even [[heck, you've done so informally already).

[Big Dog]

Do you think HP might be, one of Rush's dittoheads too?

[ghettopalmetto]

Sorry, gotta agree with ccbatson..
The more you guys write about him and discuss him, the more you legitimize him. Youve paid attention to what he's said and are repeating it, giving him credit for the quotes.
Youve helped him more than hurt him. He's successfully struck a nerve with the anti-"dittoheads".
Youve given him the publicity he wants for free.

How does publicity equal legitimization? That's like saying Britney Spears becomes a better musician the more her songs are played on the radio.

I know you right-wingers are big on squelching dissent, what with your staunch support of the Bill of Rights and all. I think it's necessary for people to debunk the Limbaughs, Coulters, O'Reillys, and Becks so that we might actually have a citizenry that THINKS for itself, instead of regurgitating the emotional ramblings of its self-appointed masters.

[ccbatson]

He becomes a bigger part of the thinking process of more people...now on both sides of the political aisle. Keep it up, and thanks Obama...for furthering the cause of your political nemesis.

[HPGrmln]

How does publicity equal legitimization? That's like saying Britney Spears becomes a better musician the more her songs are played on the radio.

I know you right-wingers are big on squelching dissent, what with your staunch support of the Bill of Rights and all. I think it's necessary for people to debunk the Limbaughs, Coulters, O'Reillys, and Becks so that we might actually have a citizenry that THINKS for itself, instead of regurgitating the emotional ramblings of its self-appointed masters.

Because-He's getting an emotional reaction from the very people he targets. He criticizes people on the left, and lo and behold, they go online and repeat what he says.Problem is, he's made millions from it, so he's laughing at the attention its getting from the very people he's ripping on, while his money keeps flowing in.

Ignoring such people makes them more irrelevant.There would be no need to "debunk" them if no one gave them all that much attention to begin with.

Coulters the same way. She makes outrageous statements because she loves the attention she gets.If she crosses the line, the media reports it, and she got the attention she desperately wanted.

O'Reilly? He's a lightweight. "The no-spin zone" is the most spun thing around. He can't fool anyone with that hollow claim.

[Ravine]

Bah. Rush Limbaugh, dangerous? I think not. Rush Limbaugh is a sound coming out of some radios, with the radio being a device which is activated, and tuned, according to choice.
While there is no way for me to be certain about the following statement, I figure that pert'near 100% of the folks who listen to Rush are folks who already see things in the generally same way he sees them. A teeming onrush of converts is very unlikely, therefore. More likely is the opposite effect: Some of the folks who are, at present, nodding in agreement with their bloated hero may eventually find themselves to be put off, and subsequently alienated, by his sensationalistic antics

[vetalalumni]

Getting more ratings doesn't equate to being a bigger part of the thinking process.

It means people of the same thinking process are getting reinforcement for what they already believe.

i.e., escalated brand loyalty.

Ignoring such people makes them more irrelevant.

Never, ever, ignore the opposition!

There would be no need to "debunk" them if no one gave them all that much attention to begin with.

Courtesy of his own views under spotlight, Rush debunks hisself.

[Ravine]

<P>Detroitsuperfly, I see what you are saying, but to that I would say that it is not Limbaugh who is dangerous. Those folks you mentioned are dangerous if they, as you state, take action on that hate. The hate-- and more significantly, the action-- are theirs, and without Rush, they would have engaged some other accelerant.&nbsp;</P>

[ccbatson]

How could anybody be dangerous based on what they say in a free country? ever heard of the off button?

[ccbatson]

IOW, the problem is that people are free to express themselves and others are free to pay attention, or not?

Umm, I think there is a different problem with that line of thinking, don't you?

[firstandten]

These right wing guys are entertainers plain and simple. They get paid BIG bucks to play on the fears on the religious neocons who feel they are losing their country[[actually according to demographics this is probably true.) to the big bad liberals. They throw a lot of talking points out there that you really don't have to think thru because most the points are either lies or taken way out of context. But its mentally digestable for people who don't really like to reason OR have the guts to rationally question their belief system.

The concern that I have is that you have the Timothy McVeigh's and the home grown Terry Nichols types listening ,not understanding that Rush and his ilk get millions to talk that stuff and if you act on it all you will get is the death penalty, or in Nichols case a nice room at SuperMax where he can grow old and crazy at the same time.

[rb336]

"We aren't going to bother analysing Dittoheads......ummm, wait a minute, what is this thread, at its' essence, doing?

I love it, this anti Rush agenda is making him more popular and listened to than ever...another backfire for Obama.

Hardly. It only increases his cache amongst the mindless who already follow him

[vetalalumni]

While surfing when not logged on, I heard [[read) a little birdy has asked what exactly are shameful flaws associated with American exceptionalism [[as defined by Rush). "America" is all its people, including Rush. And Rush is the "shameful flaw[[s)". The American exceptionalism that Rush epitomizes is his definition of it. His definition, clarified by his rhetoric etc..., is the American exceptionalism he speaks of.

List Rush's flaws and there you will have examples of American exceptionalism, as defined by Rush.

We [[I) gladly accept Rush's freedom to speak and be heard.

[vetalalumni]

The concern that I have is that you have the Timothy McVeigh's and the home grown Terry Nichols types listening ,not understanding that Rush...

Understood.

Fringe actors are a cost of our freedom in America. Better ideas and arguments should continue to be heard, so that this freedom may always be afforded to all.

[Detroitej72]

As stated above, these right-wing nuts share some of the blame when mentally ill people, [[like the nut who shot the police last week) kill innocent folks because they buy into the hype of the scared right fringe. These neo-con fringe clowns are a great threat to our freedoms and need to be held accountable.

Tim McVie was a disciple of the fringe right, and we all remember the horror he caused. The FBI and ATF need to weed these clearly dangerous individuals from society. Rush, Coulter, Beck, Savage, and co. need to shut the f#@k up and think before they add more gas to the fire.

Perhaps we could round them all up and send them to a nice little island retreat, like Gitmo[[since it will soon be empty), and hold them as enemy combatants.

[ccbatson]

Exceptionalism is possible only when individual liberty is a priority of high order. It is not amongst liberals/socialists, like Obama.