Rush Judgment

In my newsletter a couple of weeks ago I wrote the following:

Recently on his radio program Rush Limbaugh blasted members of his own party who are sniffing the winds of change in Washington and are willing to engage in constructive dialog with the new administration. Rather than helping Mr. Obama, Rush said, Republicans should do everything they can to bring him down: “I hope he fails.”

What an appalling statement. If I had any vestigial respect left for Limbaugh’s talent or the positive attention he once brought to radio, this pretty much eradicated it. Not long ago, his divisive railings were in tune with the times; but times have changed. Unfortunately, Limbaugh has not changed with them. Americans have resoundingly rejected the antagonistic values Mr. Limbaugh espouses; in the context of today, he has been revealed as an anachronism, a bombastic blowhard, aptly described by Shakespeare’s line, “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

If you are a Limbaugh affiliate, beware: before long his ditto-head audience will comprise only the 22% of the population who said, to the end, that the previous administration was doing a heck of a job. It couldn’t happen to a more deserving guy.

You'd think I waved a commie flag or something, judging from the response. Herewith, a sampler:

NO PASSES. After your comments about Rush Limbaugh, I can only assume that you have also joined the millions of liberal Americans who believe that Obama has surpassed Jesus as the savior of the world. I don’t believe that and neither does Rush. And because McCain got nearly 50% of the popular vote last November, I believe that there are a LOT more than 22 million people who don’t believe that either.

I agree that we should support our new president and support his efforts to improve the lives of Americans. But, when he supports values and policies that I do not believe are truly in the best interest of America (gay marriage, increased government in our lives, government-paid abortion, nationalized health care, a smaller military), I think that we should speak out and point out that these are not the values or desires of the MAJORITY of Americans.

Nobody gave Bush a pass. Nobody gave Clinton a pass. And nobody should give Obama a pass. I agree that Rush can be a blustering blowhard at times, and occasionally I hear him on my station and wish he would just shut up already. But even if he is a little over the top at times, I still believe that what he is saying resonates with my audience and will continue to do so even more in the next few months when the shine wears off and Americans are disappointed to find out that Obama is not going to be able to save the world after all.

—Jeff Lovett, WGRA, Cairo, GA

STATING THE OBVIOUS. Congratulations for stating the obvious about Rush Limbaugh. Extend my subscription for ten years to help replace the feckless who will cancel in protest. The missing ingredient in our civic discourse in America today is civility. Regardless of your partisan affiliations, it is more essential than ever to restore civility to civic discourse.

Good work.

—Roger Utnehmer, DoorCountyDailyNews.com, Sturgeon Bay, WI

HE SAVED AM RADIO. I look forward each week to receiving SMRN. You are a tireless advocate for a medium I live, breathe and sleep. However, I was appalled to read your vicious attack in the 1/22/09 newsletter on Rush Limbaugh, a man who has done more for small market radio than anyone alive today.

Prior to reading your partisan cheap shot on Rush, I have never paid much attention to your politics, preferring to tap your insight and sources advocating for small market radio. But your blistering attack was out of context (as most attacks on Rush are) and unfair. Allow me to quote him directly from a recent interview with Sean Hannity:

“Now, if he (Pres. Barack Obama) turns out to be a Reagan, if he adds Reagan to his recipe of FDR and Lincoln—and if he does cut some taxes—if he does not eliminate the Bush tax cuts, I would call that success. So yes, I would hope he would succeed if he acts like Reagan. But if he’s going to do FDR—if he’s going to do The New New Deal all over, which we will call here The Raw Deal—why would I want him to succeed? Look, he’s my president. The fact that he is historic is irrelevant to me now. It matters not at all. If he is going to implement a far-left agenda. . .

Look, I think it’s already decided: $2 trillion in stimulus? The growth of government? I think the intent here is to create as many dependant Americans as possible looking to government for their hope and salvation. If he gets nationalized health care, I mean, it’s over, Sean. We’re never going to roll that back. That’s the end of America as we have known it, because that’s then going to set the stage for everything being government owned, operated, or provided. Why would I want that to succeed? I don’t believe in that.

I know that’s not how this country is going to be great in the future; it’s not what made this country great. So I shamelessly say, “No! I want him to fail.” If his agenda is a far-left collectivism—some people say socialism—as a conservative heartfelt, deeply, why would I want socialism to succeed?”

I’m sure you understand how someone with Rush’s firmly-held conservative beliefs, shared by millions of Americans, is not going to toss aside his principles and walk lockstep with someone who wishes to take the country in a completely different direction. And given Rush’s record ratings, 20 years of broadcast excellence and a recently-signed $400-million contract, your morbid wish for his demise is not going to happen.

Please leave the partisan attacks on Rush to the mainstream media and stick to commonsense reporting on small market radio. Or at least balance your attack with a companion piece in the next issue answering the question: Does President Obama want Rush to fail? Since Obama attacked Rush in one of his very first acts as president, I think we know the answer. What would that mean for small market radio?

Lastly, I also have a suggestion that might better serve your readers: Undertake a research project by identifying the revenue and value of most AM sticks in the mid-80’s. Then compare that to the mid-90’s and since. AM radio was DOA when Rush Limbaugh arrived on the scene. The man singlehandedly saved the AM radio band. He should be celebrated by your publication daily.

—Scott Hennen, Great Plains Integrated Marketing/SMAHH Communications, Fargo, ND

HE’S LOST IT. A nice piece on Limbaugh.

I used to admire the guy as a radio pro, a true showman who understood what it took to hold onto an audience (granted, a niche audience, but a large niche). Now, yeah, I think he’s lost it.

At least he’s forgotten what made him successful, tapping into unexpressed feelings of millions of people.

I wonder if his gazillion-dollar contract is looking so good to his syndicator now.

—Jay Douglas, Los Angeles, CA

HERD MENTALITY. As an owner and manager of a real small market station, I rarely have the time or motivation to respond to the trite nonsense that passes as journalism and intelligent commentary in this day and age of herd mentality. However, your final thought in the January 22 newsletter was truly over the top for me.

To the specific: Your four-word quote from Mr. Limbaugh was your evidence that he is just a mean obstructionist to “constructive dialog.” Even the most superficial research would have revealed that Mr. Limbaugh had just listed a number of Mr. Obama’s positions and goals that represent a destruction of the free-market capitalist system (socialism) and the negative effects that result for small business and all Americans. It is in these endeavors, “I hope he fails.” That is the context in which the final phrase was made. You simply took the last four words from the CNN/MSNBC sound bite and came to your own conclusion as to the intent and, thereby, surrounded yourself with the dust of the herd. Was this simply from laziness or the chance to reinforce an existing bias?

Your other comments further reveal that you obviously avoid listening to his program, which is certainly your right. However, passing yourself off as an expert on his content and style is a bit disingenuous to say the least.

Clint Eastwood famously observed that “a man has to know his limitations.” I would suggest you stick to the broadcasting business and leave the political analysis to others. I’m paying for the broadcasting news. I can get the expert analysis from the vapid bubble brains on cable who probably really think there are 57 states in this country.

The breeze from bombastic blowhards wafts from many directions. Better to be a bombastic blowhard than an ignorant bombastic blowhard driven by the herd. I find it best to stay upwind of both.

—Jay B. Cessna, Cessna Communications, Inc.

MY TURN (AGAIN). First, a bit of housekeeping. Scott correctly pointed out that the quote came from an appearance on Sean Hannity’s Fox News TV show. Scott’s transcript is essentially accurate; to get it from the fox’s mouth, read and watch here.

I was interested but not surprised to find that most of the responses assumed that I was taking a political stance; in fact, my comments were intended to be about radio. I hate politics as usual. I have voted Republican, Libertarian, Democrat, Natural Law; my guy is always the one who lies to me the least. And I listen to Rush’s show often.

Thanks, Scott, for complimenting me as a “tireless advocate for radio.” I try to be, as do we all. It’s true that Rush, more than anyone else, reinvented AM radio. I just don’t want him to undo all the good he’s done for our medium by becoming irrelevant and out of step.

I have been kind of hoping that we were entering an era of more respectful discourse, but recent events have dashed those hopes. Given the resumption of politics as usual, not to mention Rush becoming Topic A on both sides of the aisle, I only hope the attention will be beneficial to our medium. Time will tell.

THE LAST GASP. I received one more letter, from Adam Wright, WSNW, Seneca, SC about my opinion that Rush has to be careful not to turn into a marginalized wacko; let this be the end of it:

I have been reading The Small Market Radio Newsletter on and off for several years. What most don’t seem to understand is Rush is an entertainer, not a news source. The same goes for Hannity, Ingraham and Boortz. It just amazes me the number of people who listen who actually consider their comments news. If these were actual news sources, we would have little or no use for the traditional news we get at the top of the hour from ABC and CBS.

As far as your comments go, I have no problem with you sharing your thoughts, political or otherwise, in this publication from time to time. Keep up the good work.