Stand with Rush!

[American Patriot]

Go here, if you've a mind to, and fill it in.

http://www.standwithrush.com/

I've written to the Pentagon, to several Congressmembers, to the Armed forces Radio network, and this is getting big.

The Dummies are trying to shut Rush up. Help stop them

[American Patriot]

The MoveOn-dot-Democrats
Human Events ^ | Posted: 10/04/2007 | Jed Babbin

Rush Limbaugh performed an enormously important public service by creating a controversy over the left’s phony soldiers. He provided the second data point we needed to identify the new subspecies of Democrat that wants to take the White House in 2008: they are the MoveOn.Democrats.

The first data point was gleaned from the enormous public reaction to the infamous MoveOn.org New York Times ad that labeled Gen. David Petraeus a lair and traitor to his country. The MoveOn ad generated so much backlash even they were taken aback, asking their supporters in an e-mail whether they were on the “same page.” (Hillary is clearly on the same page, telling Petraeus that his report required a willing suspension of disbelief. In properly parsed Lawyer Clinton language, that’s the precise equivalent of calling him a liar.

Republican outrage was expressed in Sen. John Cornyn’s (R-Tx) “sense of the Senate” resolution he offered as an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill in September. Cornyn said, “This amendment was an opportunity for every senator to declare with not only their voices but also with their votes that they fully support our troops and our commanding general in Iraq.” The amendment passed by a vote of 72-25-3.

The 25 were the first to claim the title of MoveOn.Dems. They were so scared of what the MoveOners would do to them -- including cutting off their access to its political funds -- that they stood with MoveOn and against General Petraeus.

To the 25 we add Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il). Obama was present and voting that day (he voted for a Democratic substitute to the Cornyn amendment which made it meaningless by taking out General Petraeus’ name in favor of language dedicated to all soldiers.)

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

[American Patriot]

A RUSH TO JUDGMENT (David Reinhard)
The Oregonian ^ | October 4, 2007 | David Reinhard

Thursday, October 04, 2007

What is it about Rush Limbaugh? Whatever influence he has on conservatives, it's nothing next to his influence on liberals. The man behind the golden microphone makes them do the stupidest things. In fact, it's clear that Rush gets them to do the stupidest things without their even listening to his show.

Consider the current "phony soldiers" story. Rush uttered these words last week and soon left-wing outfits, TV networks, lawmakers, presidential candidates and others make fools of themselves.

Media Matters kicks things off by charging that Limbaugh has said that troops who oppose the Iraq war are "phony soldiers." Next MSNBC and CNN push the story, Sen. John Kerry and other Democratic lawmakers demand apologies, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid heads to the floor to ask members of the world's greatest deliberative body to sign a letter of condemnation to Limbaugh's boss at Clear Channel (only 41 Democrats signed on). Gen. Wesley Clark wants Limbaugh taken off armed forces radio.

Even your scribe here felt the impact of the smear. "Why don't you condemn Limbaugh while you're at it," the snarky challenges poured in after my Sunday column rebuked Democrats who would not censure MoveOn.org's "General Betray Us" ad. I had made the point that Congress was right to denounce this assault on the active-duty officer. Had Rush questioned the bonafides of soldiers opposed to the war? Did lefties have a fair-is-fair point?

Nothing would have pleased me more. It would give me a chance to polish my own consistency credentials and Republicans and Democrats in Congress the chance for a healing moment. Condemn MoveOn one month and Rush the next and show that we're not engaged in selective indignation.

Alas, a full reading of the transcripts will not allow it. He did use the term "phony soldiers" in talking with a caller. But Media Matters rips his words out of context to concoct a smear.

Here's what Media Matters and crew highlight:

Caller: "What's really funny is they never talk to real soldiers. They pull these soldiers that come up out of the blue . . ."

Limbaugh: "The phony soldiers."

Caller: "The phony soldiers. If you talk to any real soldier and they're proud to serve, they want to be over in Iraq, they understand their sacrifice and they're willing to sacrifice for the country."

If Rush is guilty of anything, it's using the phrase while listening to this caller. That he was not buying into the caller's point is clear in his unprompted remarks after the call: "I gotta -- here is a morning update that we did recently, talking about fake soldiers. This is a story of who the left props up as heroes. And they have their celebrities. One . . . was Army Ranger Jesse Macbeth." He read his "phony soldier" commentary from the day before.

Macbeth, you see, had claimed he was a Ranger in Iraq and earned a Purple Heart. He also claimed he and other Rangers had slaughtered innocent Iraqis in a mosque. As such, he became the toast of the anti-war set. But it turns out he hadn't served in Iraq. He was discharged after six weeks of boot camp.

"Last week in federal court in Seattle, Macbeth offered an apology for defaming the real American heroes as he admitted to lying about his service record and his supposed atrocities." That's not Rush speaking. That's ABC News reporter Brian Ross reporting on "World News with Charles Gibson." It was a segment on "Phony War Vets." It ran one night before Limbaugh's Tuesday commentary on Macbeth and two days before Limbaugh's "phony soldiers" retort to his caller.

Let's see, Limbaugh makes a specific, uncontroversial mention of "phony soldiers" the day before the conversation with the caller and repeats this riff less than two minutes after uttering the two-word phrase that Media Matter cherry picked from that chat. Neither the before or after remarks refer to soldiers who oppose the war. And we're supposed to conclude that this longtime champion of U.S. troops, as Reid said, "took it upon himself to attack the courage and character of those fighting and dying for him and for all of us"?

Granted, Reid and the left feel the need to respond to the resolutions condemning MoveOn's ad. But, really, how stupid do they think we are? As stupid as Rush seems to make some liberals?

[American Patriot]

I went to Wesley Clark's site and used his own congress-writing engine to compose the following (it was Dump Rush stuff on his site, trying to get Congress to close down the Limbaugh show on Armed Forces Radio Networks):

Wesley Clark, former General and current left-wing nutcase has decided to attack Mr. Rush Limbaugh under completely bogus circumstances. Apparently, Mr. Clark and other left wingers in this country are completely unable to tell the truth, or to seek it even when it is staring them directly in the face.

Last week, the LEFT decided to attack Rush Limbaugh for a statement he made, which they took out of context and implied he was talking about soldiers who do not support the war in Iraq. This was an out and out lie by the Left in America, and an attempt to divert attention from Hillary Clinton's shady money collections schemes, and Hsu, as well as the Moveon.Org attacks on General Paetraeus.

These attempts at the "censure" of a PRIVATE citizen are disgraceful and every member of Congress should SHUN them. In fact, every member of the United States Congress would do well to emulate Mr. Limbaugh in his truthfulness - something many members are currently NOT DOING.

Rush Limbaugh's show is aired on Armed Forces Radio, which is funded by taxpayers' dollars, and as a former, retired military member, I expect the show to REMAIN on the air for the military. Not only that, I DEMAND that the entire show be run for the military. To cut it to one hour is showing the bias of the Congress to disallow both sides of issues to be heard.

As a member of Congress, you can prevent these types of attacks on Limbaugh and others. STOP THE CENSORSHIP!

Please do NOT Dump Rush From Armed Forces Radio - to question the sincerity of our "phony" MUST be done.

Thank you for your consideration.

Rick Donaldson

[American Patriot]

Republicans Rise for Rush
Human Events ^ | October 4, 2007 | Erick Erickson

The Democrats’ fight against Rush Limbaugh is not exactly going as planned. Last week, Rush Limbaugh called out the Left’s using “phony soldiers” to attack the war effort -- soldiers who had claimed to have been in Iraq participating in war crimes when they had not in fact set foot in the country. George Soros’ Media Matters organization blasted out notices to the media that Rush had labeled all anti-war soldiers “phony.” The facts quickly became irrelevant as the Democrats sought to use the controversy to bounce back against Republicans who had been hammering them over attacks on General Petraeus’s character.

Democrats in Congress ran to the floors of the House and Senate to denounce Rush and offer resolutions of condemnation. Hillary Clinton saw no irony in her failure to denounce Rush while she defended MoveOn.org’s attack against Petraeus. Richest of all, however, was Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) denouncing Rush from the floor of the Senate and accusing Rush of being under the influence of narcotics. Harkin, of course, saw his hopes for the Presidency sink in 1992, when it was revealed he had lied about his own war record.

If the Democrats really though Republicans would run away from Rush Limbaugh, they were sorely mistaken. Not only did the Republicans go on defense for Limbaugh, they seized the opportunity to again attack the Democrats over the Fairness Doctrine. Blogging at RedState, Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) wrote, “The Left has long targeted conservative talk radio. They have tried everything from regulation to launching their own liberal network. . . .Faced with such defeat, they are now looking to revive the Fairness Doctrine. And with Media Matters leading the way, it seems they are attempting to take their first step.” He also pointed out that ABC News Correspondent Brian Ross, in a story about Jesse MacBeth (one of Limbaugh’s phony soldiers) called MacBeth and those like him “phony heroes.”

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) echoed Kingston, writing, “I believe these attacks on talk radio are a precursor for returning censorship to the airwaves of America in the form of the Fairness Doctrine.”

Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who herself suffered an attempted political assassination by MSNBC and MoveOn.org last week, also raced to blog at RedState. She wrote, “This is the second time in as many weeks that the MoveOn.org crowd has attacked conservatives without checking their facts. There is a saying in the mainstream, drive-by media: "Why let the truth get in the way of a good story?"

Congressman Vito Fossella (R-NY) joined in the blogfest writing, “Rush Limbaugh is a favorite target for the left, but his support of our men and women in uniform is unquestioned,” and Scott Garrett (R-NJ) blogged, “This recent allegation that Limbaugh was bashing a war veteran is ludicrous. It’s clear to anyone that read the transcript that Limbaugh was just stating that he is sick and tired of Democrats using soldiers with phony stories to attack the Iraq war and discredit the hard work our men and women in uniform are doing.”

Within one week of Rush stating the obvious and the Democrats launching their attack, Rush had been publicly defended by numerous House and Senate Republicans, including the third ranking Republican in the House, Eric Cantor (R-VA) who started a petition of support at www.standwithrush.com.

Not to be outdone, even the Republican Presidential candidates sought to get into with Fred Thompson going to RedState and then his own website to write, “Congressional Democrats are trying to divert attention from insulting our military leader in Iraq and pandering to the loony left by attacking Rush Limbaugh. He is one of the strongest supporters of our troops, yet Democrats claim he is not being strong enough. I wonder who General Petraeus and his troops think is most supportive?”

The Democrats continue to orchestrate a media blitz over their misrepresentation of Rush Limbaugh’s statement, but so far only Republican Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC) is falling for it. Jones’s primary challenger, Joe McLaughlin, is already on the air attacking Jones for his failure to stand with Limbaugh.

The Republican attacks on the MoveOn.org ad successfully caused the Democrats to buckle. Thus far, it seems the Republicans are holding to Margaret Thatcher’s advice to not go wobbly on this issue.

[American Patriot]

The Real Media Matters (Lies About Limbaugh)
The National Review ^ | October 4, 2007 | Byron York

Editor’s note: The controversy over Rush Limbaugh’s “phony soldiers” remark has brought new prominence to Media Matters for America, the left-wing media watchdog founded by former right-wing media star David Brock. Media Matters is an avowedly political institution, part of a group of institutions ­ the Center for American Progress, MoveOn.org, and others ­ that have become increasingly important in Democratic politics. In 2004, Byron York revealed the origins of Media Matters and the big Democratic party donors who helped Brock bring it to life.

Susie Tompkins Buell was very, very impressed with David Brock. A California businesswoman who co-founded the fashion giant Esprit and went on to become a major donor to Democratic causes, Buell was in Washington last fall attending a meeting of friends and supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton when she met Brock, the self-described former “right-wing hit man.” Buell listened as Brock, now a defector to “progressive” causes, presented plans for Media Matters for America, his new Internet-based project to monitor and criticize conservative media. In a short time, she was sold.

“It just made so much sense to me,” Buell recalls. “All this garbage that’s coming out of the Right is like the worst contamination of this country. . . . He brought so much understanding of what goes on over there. He’s very articulate, and very, very bright.”

(Excerpt) Read more at article.nationalreview.com ...

[American Patriot]

Ann Coulter on Dems' War Against Rush Limbaugh .....

(exposes the Hillary Clinton connection)
Fox News ^ | Thursday, October 04, 2007

JOHN GIBSON, FOX NEWS HOST: The former NATO supreme allied commander and former Democratic presidential candidate is lobbying for Limbaugh's show to be taken off Armed Forces Radio for calling one soldier who went to prison for fraud a phony.

He and other Democrats have distorted Limbaugh's words and accused him of calling all soldiers who were against the war only. Here's what Limbaugh had to say about Clark this afternoon on his radio show. .................................................. ....

GIBSON: This smear campaign against Limbaugh comes on the heels of one of the Democrat's biggest embarrassments, an ad paid for liberals and run by a liberal paper smearing our top war general, David Petraeus.

With me now, conservative commentator Ann Coulter. She is the author of the brand new book, "If Democrats Had Any Brains They'd Be Republicans."

Wesley Clark is jumping on this bandwagon, trying to get Rush taken off of Armed Forces Radio. Has he got standing to make the claim?

ANN COULTER, "IF DEMOCRATS HAD ANY BRAINS": Aren't the Democrats great? I am just insanely jealous that he is getting all the attention when I have a book out. I have to send a copy to every member of the Senate now.

GIBSON: What about Clark?

COULTER: What about him? This is preposterous that they would waste time on this. And I promise you it is not going to hurt Rush Limbaugh. I mean, getting censured by the senate.

GIBSON: This whole thing starts with Media Matters taking Rush Limbaugh out of context, as you well know.

COULTER: Well, if we could get to how we take him out of context, I don't even understand what point they're making.

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

[American Patriot]

Wesley Wants Rush Whacked From Military Radio
NewsBusters ^ | 10/03/2007 | Mark Finkelstein

Ah, those diversity-loving liberals. You know, the kind who would stifle free speech with their Orwellian "Fairness Doctrine," who threaten legal action against mom-and-pop T-shirt makers who criticize MoveOn.borg. Wesley Clark would now take things one step further, whacking Rush Limbaugh off the Armed Forces Newtwork radio airwaves...

(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...

[American Patriot]

Transcript of today's show.

RUSH: (laughing) Putting it in perspective. Now, General Clark, let's talk about him just a second here before we go to the break, the mad bomber of Bosnia. Is this the same Wesley Clark who did nothing to try to prevent the mass murder of 800,000 Rwandans? Is this the same Wesley Clark who was in a position to insist the Clinton administration and the United Nations send help to that region to try to stop the mass murder of 800,000 Rwandans? Is this the same Wesley Clark who has never had to answer for his indifference to that genocide, and, worse, in the face of this genocide, in a public investigation, has never had to answer for it? Is this the same Wesley Clark who was once a Republican who supported President Bush but then changed parties so he could run for president and then attack President Bush? Is this the same Wesley Clark who could not muster any popular support for his hilarious run for the presidency?

You see, this is why the mad bomber of Bosnia can't read a transcript or listen to an audio and speak truthfully about them. He's no longer a general. He's just another in a long line of liberal hacks, ladies and gentlemen. Now, General Clark, we all appreciate your service in the military, but what you're doing now has nothing to do with your service. It has to do with your decision to play mud ball with the left. I don't know about you, Mr. Clark, but I go to bed at night with zero problems. How do you sleep, sir? How do you and the rest of the Clinton administration sleep knowing you did nothing about the genocide in Rwanda?

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: I'm going to go back, I'm going to stay on the mad bomber of Bosnia for a moment, ladies and gentlemen, and that is General Wesley Clark. Do you remember, Michael Moore called George W. Bush a deserter, and Wesley Clark stood up for Michael Moore's right to say that? This is a NewsMax story, January 22nd, 2004, during General Clark's ill-fated run at the Democratic presidential candidacy. "In a response that could turn out to be General Clark's worst blunder yet..." and that's a tough call, because there were so many of them, "...the presidential hopeful said his supporter, firebrand filmmaker and propagandist Michael Moore, had a right to call President Bush a military deserter." We have the audio sound bite. It was a debate in Manchester, New Hampshire, January 22nd, 2004. Peter Jennings said, "General Clark, this is really a simple question about knowing a man by his friends. The other day you had a rally here, and one of the men who stood up to endorse you, was the controversial filmmaker Michael Moore. You said you were delighted with him. At one point Mr. Moore said in front of you that President Bush, saying that he'd like to see you, the general, President Bush, to be called a deserter. Now, that's a reckless charge not supported by the facts, and I was curious to know why you didn't contradict him and whether or not you think it would have been a better example of ethical behavior to have done so."

[American Patriot]

Phony Soldiers and Phony Senators
Human Events ^ | 10-04-07 | John O'Neill
Phony Soldiers and Phony Senators

by John E. O'Neill

10/04/2007

Recently, at least 41 Democratic Senators, joined by a howling mob including George Soros’ Media Matters, sought to silence Rush Limbaugh because of his reference to “phony” anti war soldiers. Limbaugh’s comments, taken in context, referred to Jesse Macbeth, a confessed and convicted phony, whose faked but graphic war crimes confessions received far wider media notice than his later confession. He had been discharged in boot camp after 40 days of service.

Macbeth follows a grand tradition of fake soldiers whose “war crimes” confessions have been used by the Left to slander the service of our troops. For example, Micah Ian Wright, author of the 2003 anti war best seller "You Back the Attack," was an Army Ranger and Combat veteran feted at USC’s Annenberg School and in media like the Washington Post until he was finally “outed” as a complete fake. Many similar examples of phony “soldiers” used by the Left for war crimes confessions are documented in B.G. Burkett’s bestseller Stolen Valor. Indeed, the problem was so endemic that a Republican Congress in 2005, at the urging of many veterans, passed “The Stolen Valor Act” finally criminalizing activities such as those of Macbeth.

There is no one more injured by phony war crimes charges lodged by phony veterans than veterans themselves whose service is dishonored by the slander. I know. In 1971, in addition to listening to John Kerry from our unit falsely compare our forces in Viet Nam to “the Army of Jhengiz Khan,” I heard Al Hubbard, the president of Kerry’s VVAW, appearing with Kerry in forums such as Meet the Press and Congress confess to war crimes such as bombing innocent villages. Hubbard was an Air Force pilot, who appeared on national television wearing the Distinguished Flying Cross and many other medals while confessing our guilt in Viet Nam. Except he was none of these things, having left the Air Force as a Sergeant, never serving in Viet Nam at all.

Military personnel all over the world thank God for Rush Limbaugh’s stout defense of our military from these fakes. In 1971, there was no one to defend us from the John Kerrys and the Al Hubbards. Indeed, it is the U.S. Senate that is a Potemkin Village. It is a body whose failure to condemn Hubbard’s and Kerry’s 1971 libels is deafening. It is also a place on whose floor active duty soldiers have been compared to the assassins of the Khmer Rouge (Senator Deck Durbin); people who terrorize women and children (Senator Kerry); and (in close proximity) cold blooded murderers (Rep. John Murtha). Hypocrisy and cowardice are terms too kind for those who demean our soldiers without regard to the consequences to them. This conduct when coupled with the effort to silence Limbaugh a stout defender of the troops, can be best described with two words: What phonies.

.................................................. ......

Mr. O'Neill is a Houston attorney who clerked for Chief Justice William Rehnquist during the Supreme Court's October 1974 term. He co-authored the New York Times No. 1 bestseller, "Unfit for Command" in 2004.

Advertise | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions Copyright © 2007 HUMAN EVENTS. All Rights Reserved.

[American Patriot]

Here's the link and text on the Wesley clark site:

http://ga4.org/campaign/dumprush

Tell Congress to Dump Rush

Today, I am asking you to join 31,538 other Americans and email Congress urging them to take Rush Limbaugh off Armed Forces Radio.

Last week, Rush Limbaugh labeled American servicemembers who support an end to the war in Iraq "phony soldiers."

We're going directly to Congress to take him off the Armed Forces Radio airwaves. Elected officials in Congress have the power to prevent Limbaugh from using taxpayers' money to disrespect and censure the voices of our soldiers.

Join us and hold Rush Limbaugh accountable for his offensive and outrageous comments -- tell your member of Congress to Dump Rush From Armed Forces Radio today!

[American Patriot]

Email From Harry Reid
Email | 10/04/07 | Harry Reid

Posted on 10/04/2007 10:34:08 AM MDT by Inyokern

Dear (xxxx), I normally ignore Rush Limbaugh, but his comments last Wednesday went too far for me to remain silent. It's one thing to call me "Dingy Harry" - it's another to insult our men and women in uniform, calling those who oppose the war "phony soldiers" as Rush did during his Sept. 26 broadcast. Of course, Rush continued his tirade Monday by denying he had said anything wrong and attacking John Murtha, who served 37 years in the Marines. This week, 41 Democrats signed a letter to Clear Channel CEO Mark Mays, demanding that Rush apologize. You can send your own letter to Mays by clicking here. In December 2006, a poll run by the Military Times found that only 35 percent of service members approved of President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq. Would Rush consider every other Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Marine to be phony? What about General John Batiste who retired from active duty in order to speak out against this war? Rush has the courage to sit behind a microphone and lash out at those who oppose George Bush's misadventure in Iraq - yet when it was his time to serve, he received a deferment and has never worn a uniform. Limbaugh's show is broadcast on Armed Forces Radio, and therefore service members around the world heard his insults. It's time for Clear Channel to make Rush apologize. Demand that Clear Channel CEO Mark Mays take action by clicking here. Rush certainly has the right to say whatever he wants - but we have an obligation to speak out when he goes too far. Thank you, Harry Reid

Paid for by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, http://dscc.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This message was sent to e.quipment@comcast.net. To unsubscribe from the DSCC's email list, please click here. You can also send a reply to this message with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

[American Patriot]

Reid Uses Limbaugh to Rally Grassroots Democrats
cnsnews ^

Reid Uses Limbaugh to Rally Grassroots Democrats By Susan Jones CNSNews.com Senior Editor October 04, 2007

(CNSNews.com) - "Dear Friend, Demand that Rush Limbaugh apologize." That's the latest salvo from Democrats who want Americans to believe that the influential talk-show host has insulted U.S. troops.

Writing on behalf of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee -- a political group that works to elect Democrats -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Thursday said he normally ignores Rush Limbaugh. But Limbaugh's recent comment about "phony soldiers" went too far for him to stay silent, Reid said.

"It's one thing to call me "Dingy Harry" (as Limbaugh calls Reid) -- it's another to insult our men and women in uniform, calling those who oppose the war "phony soldiers" as Rush did during his Sept. 26 broadcast, Reid said in his message to DSCC supporters on Thursday.

In fact, Limbaugh did not say that soldiers who oppose the administration's conduct of the war are "phonies," although Democrats and liberal interest group insist that's what he meant.

A transcript of Limbaugh's radio program makes it clear that in talking to a caller, Limbaugh was reminded about "who the left props up as heroes." He used the phrase "phony soldiers," and a short time later, he brought up one particular soldier, Jesse MacBeth, who was sentenced to five months in prison for falsifying his military records.

Reid and 40 other senators sent a letter of complaint to Clear Channel CEO Mark Mays this week, demanding that Rush apologize -- for something he never said, Limbaugh insists. Now they're also urging DSCC supporters to send a letter to Mays, demanding that he "take action" and force an apology from Limbaugh.

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

[American Patriot]

[American Patriot]

9605
Have Signed the Petition

http://www.standwithrush.com/

[American Patriot]

Thu, Oct 4, 2007 4:25pm ET
Send to a friend Print Version

Limbaugh on wounded Iraq vet: "I didn't call this guy a suicide bomber"

Summary: On October 4, Rush Limbaugh asserted that he "didn't call" wounded Iraq veteran Brian McGough "a suicide bomber" on his October 2 show and said he was "grateful" for McGough's service. Limbaugh said on October 2: "[T]his is such a blatant use of a valiant combat veteran, lying to him about what I said, then strapping those lies to his belt, sending him out via the media in a TV ad to walk into as many people as he can walk into."

On the October 4 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh asserted that he "didn't call" wounded Iraq veteran Brian McGough "a suicide bomber" on his October 2 show and said he was "grateful" for McGough's service. McGough appeared in an ad released by VoteVets denouncing Limbaugh's September 26 characterization of service members who support troop withdrawal from Iraq as "phony soldiers." In the ad, McGough says to Limbaugh, "Until you have the guts to call me a 'phony soldier' to my face, stop telling lies about my service." As Media Matters for America documented, Limbaugh said on October 2: "[T]his is such a blatant use of a valiant combat veteran, lying to him about what I said, then strapping those lies to his belt, sending him out via the media in a TV ad to walk into as many people as he can walk into."
From Limbaugh's October 2 radio show:

LIMBAUGH: VoteVets.org has -- they describe themselves as an organization comprised of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns who oppose current policy in Iraq. They've put together a TV ad that takes aim at me. This ad's going to run on Fox News, on CNN, it's going to run on WMAL radio in Washington, $60,000 ad buy that's going to run, I think, on our local West Palm Beach station down here. And there's a man identified as Brian McCoff -- McGough -- it's M-C-G-O-U-G-H, I'm not sure how he pronounces it, McGo, McGuff -- I haven't watched the ad.
He discusses his service in Iraq, the wounds he suffered there, and he says to me in this ad, "Until you have the guts to call me a 'phony soldier' to my face, stop telling lies about my service." You know, this is such a blatant use of a valiant combat veteran, lying to him about what I said, then strapping those lies to his belt, sending him out via the media in a TV ad to walk into as many people as he can walk into.
This man will always be a hero to this country with everyone. Whoever pumped him full of these lies about what I said and embarrassed him with this ad has betrayed him. They're not hurting me, they're betraying this soldier. Now, unless he actually believes what he's saying, in which case it's just so unfortunate and sad when the truth of what I said is right out there to be learned.

After several media outlets noted his comments about McGough, writing that Limbaugh compared McGough to a suicide bomber, Limbaugh revisited those remarks on his October 4 show. After replaying his October 2 comments he said: "I called him a hero. The other reference is to where the drive-by media runs in, blows things up, creates all these messes, and then heads on down the road to create another one. I called him a suicide bomber -- you see how this works. I didn't call anybody who legitimately serves a 'phony soldier.' I didn't call this guy a suicide bomber."
The Los Angeles Times reported on October 4:

Limbaugh responded on air Tuesday, comparing McGough metaphorically to a suicide bomber. He said the ad was "a blatant use of a valiant combat veteran, lying to him about what I said, then strapping those lies to his belt, sending him out via the media in a TV ad to walk into as many people as he can walk into."

Similarly, The New York Times reported October 3:

The advertisement, to be pushed with a modest $60,000 buy, is scheduled to be broadcast Wednesday on national cable news channels, with a radio version in certain markets during Mr. Limbaugh's show. In it, a wounded veteran chastises Mr. Limbaugh. On Tuesday, Mr. Limbaugh compared the veteran to a suicide bomber, saying the advocacy group had strapped "lies to his belt, sending him out via the media in a TV ad to walk into as many people as he can walk into," according to a transcript distributed by Media Matters.

ABCNews.com reported October 3:

Limbaugh publicly denounced the VoteVets.org ad, likening the Iraq War veteran featured in the ad to a suicide bomber.
"This is such a blatant use of a valiant combat veteran, lying to him about what I said, then strapping those lies to his belt, sending him out via the media in a TV ad to walk into as many people as he can walk into," Limbaugh said Tuesday on his radio program.
Limbaugh has said that his "phony soldier" comments were referring only to one soldier recently convicted of lying about his service. The radio talk show host has also attacked Rep. Jack Murtha, D-Pa., a retired Marine colonel and opponent of the Iraq War.
"I was not talking about anti-war, active duty troops," Limbaugh insisted. However the liberal media watchdog organization Media Matters disputed Limbaugh's claim that his "phony soldiers" comment was taken out of context, pointing to the transcript as proof that the reference came two minutes before discussion of the discredited man.
"After referring to troops who disagree with him about Iraq as phony soldiers, he's gone on to compare one of our Purple Heart veterans from the war in Iraq to a suicide bomber," said Karl Frisch, spokesperson for Media Matters. "It's time for him to stop digging the hole and start being accountable."

In an October 3 article, FoxNews.com said:

Limbaugh decried the ad by the group that he linked to MoveOn.org, figuratively saying VoteVets is treating McGough like a suicide bomber.
"This is such a blatant use of a valiant combat veteran, lying to him about what I said and then strapping those lies to his belt, sending him out via the media and a TV ad to walk into as many people as he can walk into. This man will always be a hero to this country with everyone. Whoever pumped him full of these lies about what I said and embarrassed him with this ad has betrayed him, they aren't hurting me they are betraying this soldier," Limbaugh said.

From the October 4 broadcast of The Rush Limbaugh Show:

LIMBAUGH: Let's go to the audio sound bites, shall we? Let's -- we have a montage of this morning and last night. We have Joe Scarbourough of MSNBC, John Roberts of CNN, Willie Geist, MSNBC, somebody else on MSNBC, and Norah O'Donnell all talking -- you know, this poor guy Brian McGough of VoteVets.org, he's running around saying that I called him a suicide bomber yesterday on this program. And of course, he says it, there's no questioning it, and here's the montage of the drive-bys reacting to it.
Sit tight, Dawn -- Dawn's about to explode in there. She came in today, walked in -- "I am never going to watch or listen to Geraldo again after last night, and I am never" -- Alan Colmes -- just, you know, chill, chill. Everything's under control here. It's going our way. Here's the montage:
[begin audio clip]

JOE SCARBOROUGH, MSNBC: We're going to hear for the next five days how Rush Limbaugh called this guy a suicide bomber.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN: Limbaugh called this guy a suicide bomber.
WILLIE GEIST, MSNBC: Metaphor to say he was like a suicide bomber.
KEITH OLBERMANN, MSNBC: Comparing that soldier to a suicide bomber.
NORAH O'DONNELL, MSNBC: Essentially comparing him to a suicide bomber.

[end audio clip]
LIMBAUGH: All right, anybody care what I actually said about this? Would you like to hear what I actually said? This was Tuesday on the program, and I was talking about the ad that they are running.
[begin audio clip]

LIMBAUGH: You know, this is such a blatant use of a valiant combat veteran, lying to him about what I said, then strapping those lies to his belt, sending him out via the media in a TV ad to walk into as many people as he can walk into. This man will always be a hero to this country with everyone. Whoever pumped him full of these lies about what I said and embarrassed him with this ad has betrayed him. They're not hurting me, they're betraying this soldier. Now, unless he actually believes what he's saying, in which case it's just so unfortunate and sad when the truth of what I said is right out there to be learned.

[end audio clip]
LIMBAUGH: I called him a hero. I called him a hero. The other reference is to where the drive-by media runs in, blows things up, creates all these messes, and then heads on down the road to create another one. I called him a suicide bomber -- you see how this works. I didn't call anybody who legitimately serves a "phony soldier." I didn't call this guy a suicide bomber. That's out there -- I called him a suicide bomber. [laughter] Here's McGough. He was on MSNBC last night talking about the fact that I called him a suicide bomber.
McGOUGH [audio clip]: My reaction is disgust, how someone can sit in that chair and say that I am a car bomber, or excuse me, a suicide bomber, is disgusting. I've seen the aftereffects of a suicide bomb. I've had friends that were hurt in suicide bombs. It makes me mad down to a place where I can't even think to describe. It's just repugnant.
LIMBAUGH: And -- it's not just repugnant. It's very sad. Brian, let me -- let me try this again. Mr. McGough, I admire you for your service. I admire anyone and everyone who volunteers to serve in the United States military in this country, always have. I'm grateful to you for your service, and that, Brian, is an unqualified thank you, whether or not you support the war, or the surge, President Bush, or not.

—M.G., J.S. & A.J.W.
A.J. Walzer is an intern at Media Matters for America.
Comments (57) Show

1 - 20 | Next

• 
  Yes, Rush, it was a descriptive comparison to a suicide bomber you made. Repeat after me, Rush: I was wrong. I'm sorry.
  • - IRONY 101 / Thursday October 4, 2007 04:57:50 PM EST
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  • 
    He just can't help himself. Even when he's as horrified as he is right now. He simply can't help himself.
    • - therick / Thursday October 4, 2007 05:00:38 PM EST
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    • 
      Indeed. Rush's fear factor has again reached the level of pilonidil cyst. It’s 1970 all over again.
      • - mgovernor4160 / Thursday October 4, 2007 05:08:23 PM EST
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  • 
    This is another example of why conservatives are wrong when they say that liberals want to silence right wing talk radio hosts. I want Limbaugh to keep talking about how he compared McGough to a suicide bomber without calling him a suicide bomber. Please, Mr. Limbaugh, by all means, keep talking.
    This is almost better than when he explained that he never said Michael J. Fox was faking his symptoms, but merely acting and exaggerating.
    • - vysotsky / Thursday October 4, 2007 05:06:18 PM EST
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• 
  And I didn't call you a crackhead, just an addle-brained Oxycontin addict.
  • - tbone / Thursday October 4, 2007 04:58:03 PM EST
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• 
  Rush now says; "I admire anyone and everyone who volunteers to serve in the United States military in this country, always have. I'm grateful to you for your service, and that, Brian, is an unqualified thank you, whether or not you support the war, or the surge, President Bush, or not."
  So now it's unqualified, when we all know as of last week his qualification was that soldiers must agree with Rush and Bush, otherwise--THEY'RE PHONY. I wonder, is there a form to fill out, an oath to swear, when enlisting that explains to which political beliefs soldiers must conform?
  • - therick / Thursday October 4, 2007 04:58:32 PM EST
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  • 
    It's hopeless.
    The phony soldiers knew when they signed up that they'd be going to Afghanistan or Iraq. But no one warned them that upon their return, they were to be confronted by the eeville VoteVets, who turn them into mindless walking zombie suicide bombers in limpaugh transcript belts, destined to wander the earth in eternal agony, popping up in the media right out of the blue, running into as many people as possible. No form could EVER resist the awesome power that commands them to do such wicked deeds.
    Give me my gun. I'll only need one bullet...
    • - neondesert / Thursday October 4, 2007 06:14:37 PM EST
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    • 
      May I please pull the trigger?
      • - therick / Thursday October 4, 2007 06:22:07 PM EST
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      • 
        No, I'd prefer to do it myself.
        I may be too cowardly to be left behind to suffer the torture of a scorched earth with nothing but mindless phony soldier zombie bombers. But I have enough honor to initiate the ultimate escape myself...
        But feel free to pry my gun from my cold dead fingers after I'm gone and use it as you deem necessary.
        • - neondesert / Thursday October 4, 2007 06:48:06 PM EST
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        • 
          "...after I'm gone..."
          Neon, I was just wondering if you had, like, some good CDs or some othe stuff that, like, you wouldn't be using after, you know, you were gone and everything...
          • - IRONY 101 / Thursday October 4, 2007 06:55:46 PM EST
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          • 
            Well, I promised LeatherHelmet he could have the BeeGees, Culture Club and KC, and Barney wanted my Helen Reddy, Andy Gibb, and Bobby Sherman albums. But I'll let you have the pick of what's left of my vinyl: Abba, Osmonds, K-Tel Disco Daze, and Carpenters.
            How are you set for 8-tracks?
            • - neondesert / Thursday October 4, 2007 07:26:18 PM EST
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        • 
          I wanted to pull the trigger because I thought you were aiming at PussPocket, not you--sorry...
          • - therick / Thursday October 4, 2007 07:23:37 PM EST
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          • 
            Oh, no. I would never do that.
            I think Rush deserves to be left behind on a planet with nothing but phony soldier zombie bombers.
            ...and Ann Coulter, so that the species won't proliferate.
            • - neondesert / Thursday October 4, 2007 07:31:10 PM EST
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            • 
              Okay, I concur. [whew]
              • - therick / Thursday October 4, 2007 07:36:16 PM EST
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• 
  "I didn't call anybody who legitimately serves a 'phony soldier.'"
  You questioned the military legitimacy of anyone who professed to be a soldier and who disagrred with your positions on the Iraq war. When Mike form Chicago said he was ex-military, you said sarcastically that you used to walk on the moon. Remember, Rush? ...think hard. That fuzziness from all the drugs will go away some day...once you stop using.
  • - IRONY 101 / Thursday October 4, 2007 05:07:50 PM EST
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• 
  "I admire anyone and everyone who volunteers to serve in the United States military in this country, always have."
  John Kerry? Murtha? Al Gore? Max Cleland? For the sake of fairness would MMFA please cite all the great things Rush has said about these volunteers.
  • - bkboase3653 / Thursday October 4, 2007 05:12:03 PM EST
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  • 
    And let's not forget the Navy veterans who actually served in Kerry's Swift Boat. Every one of them were slimed by suggesting that they were all lying about Kerry's actions, too. After all, since they supported Kerry, and we actually THERE, then they had to be participants in Kerry's lies. The fact is military personnel are like anyone else to the right-wing pundits--if they do not toe the line they are worthy of no respect whatsoever. The only difference now is that Rush went too far, and is now having to backtrack so he can try to maintain the myth that he cares one whit about the soldiers.
    • - Mark from Chicago / Thursday October 4, 2007 05:58:54 PM EST
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• 
  Go ahead Rush. Keep talking. Keep practicing you're first amendment rights. And I'll keep waiting for the day when your hypocracy bites you in your a-- like a big cyst. What a pig!
  • - pjcarter / Thursday October 4, 2007 05:15:57 PM EST
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• 
  I'm sure that it will turn out that all this fuss about "suicide bombers" is the result of a transcript editing job funded by George Soros for MM under the direction of Hillary Clinton and Fidel Castro. I say the butler did it with the wrench in the Conservatory.
  Limbaugh's sinking faster than the Phillies.
  • - jjamele2880 / Thursday October 4, 2007 05:16:37 PM EST
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  • 
    I'm watching that game, and that is fast
    • - therick / Thursday October 4, 2007 05:19:19 PM EST
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When contacting the media, please be polite and professional. Express your specific concerns regarding that particular news report or commentary, and be sure to indicate exactly what you would like the media outlet to do differently in the future.

[American Patriot]

I would suggest that each of you, regardless of whether you like Rush Limbaugh or not, realize that you need to support him in this.

The Left is trying to take down an icon of truth. The LEFT is wrong and Rush is right.

We need to support him. Write him and tell him to stick to his guns.

Write Congress, tell them to BACK THE HELL OFF.

Write Media Matters and George Soros and go for the jugular vein. Destroy those people, with words.

[American Patriot]

Denouncing Attacks on Rush Limbaugh, Rep. Lamborn (R-CO)
US Congressional Record ^ | October 5, 2007 | Lamborn

[Congressional Record: October 4, 2007 (House)]
[Page H11255]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr04oc07-49]

{time} 1015

DENOUNCING ATTACKS ON RUSH LIMBAUGH

(Mr. LAMBORN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to denounce the liberals' fraudulent attacks on Rush Limbaugh. Anyone who reads the widely available transcript as I have done sees that Mr. Limbaugh was appropriately referring to the pretenders who pose as medal winners or who falsely claim to have committed atrocities in Iraq when he used the phrase ``phony soldiers.''

No, the real scandal here is that liberals in America and here in this Congress are willing to manipulate facts to smear those they disagree with. But there's an even more insidious agenda by liberals going on and that is to reinstitute the so-called Fairness Doctrine, which is actually a way to silence conservatives on the radio waves.

Mr. Limbaugh deserves mega-kudos for being a forceful and effective voice on the side of common sense and for being an example of the first amendment in action. After all, isn't that what our country is supposed to be about?

____________________

[Congressional Record: October 4, 2007 (House)]
[Page H11255]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr04oc07-48]

OPEN AND TRANSPARENT SPENDING

(Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve better from their government when it comes to the way it spends their hard-earned taxpayer dollars. As Jerry Bellune of the Lexington County Chronicle would say, ``It's the people's money, not the government's money given to the people.''

It seems that this Democrat majority which rode to power on a wave of promises about open and transparent Congress has decided these principles do not apply when it comes to all earmarks. So I ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, if identifying who is sponsoring an earmark is okay on spending bills, why is it not okay on all legislation?

The American people deserve more transparency from their government, not multi-million dollar spending packages slipped silently into legislation under a bureaucratic cover.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th. Thank goodness for Rush Limbaugh, who supports our troops.

[Segestan]

Rush is a liar who doesn't even feel it right to pay his own taxes . He's Anti-Fed and in essence an anarchist dressed in the flag.

[American Patriot]

Rush is a liar who doesn't even feel it right to pay his own taxes . He's Anti-Fed and in essence an anarchist dressed in the flag.

How funny.

You're pretty wrong there.

He does pay taxes, just like I do.
He isn't anti-Fed, he's anti-big Government just like me.
Can you show where he has lied? No, I don't think so.

Can you show evidence that he an "anarchist"? No, I don't think so.