![]() ![]() 17, 2021.įor like-minded listeners, some who became prominent commentators in their own right, Limbaugh was their political professor, teaching them that "conservative ideas were intellectual ideas and that it was a system of thought that mattered," Potter told VOA. John Hensel attaches an American flag to the gate of the home of his friend and talk radio host Rush Limbaugh, in Palm Beach, Fla., Feb. He was effective at taking "monikers of shame being tossed out by liberals" and telling his fans to embrace the labels, Potter said. Many of Limbaugh's fans, whom he referred to as "ditto heads," relished his opposition to political correctness - the use of language and policies to eliminate verbal discrimination or negative stereotyping. "Without him, the idea of a President Donald Trump is unfathomable - but his influence is far broader." "Politically, the far right, warfare politics version of the Republican Party that exists today owes itself to his influence and the changes in the political media catalyzed by his rise," Rosenwald told VOA. Many Republican politicians, however, echoed Limbaugh to boost their election chances, as opposing his positions could imperil their careers. "He was a demagogue who got rich off of hate speech, division, lies and toxicity. "Rush Limbaugh helped create today's polarized America by normalizing racism, bigotry, misogyny and mockery," tweeted Shannon Watts, founder of the gun control group Moms Demand Action. Liberals loathed Limbaugh, accusing him of distorting facts and littering the airwaves with hate speech. A moderate is just a liberal disguise," he declared in 2005. Over the years, he moved further to the right, taking much of America with him. Limbaugh overcame personal setbacks, including hearing loss reversed by a cochlear implant and an addiction to prescription painkillers that compelled him to seek rehabilitation treatment. In his final year of broadcasting, he brushed off COVID-19 as nothing more serious than the common cold, arguing the pandemic was blown out of proportion to politically target Trump.Ī college dropout, former radio disc jockey and sports broadcaster, Limbaugh also downplayed climate change and opposed health care reform - which became templates for the Republican Party. Those advocating women's rights were deemed "femi-Nazis," while environmentalists were "wackos." Limbaugh was unapologetic in his personal attacks on liberal politicians and activists. He might be the single most important figure in late 20th and early 21st century politics," according to Brian Rosenwald, scholar-in-residence at the University of Pennsylvania and author of "Talk Radio's America."įILE - Radio host Rush Limbaugh, right, is congratulated by Larry King at the Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, Ill., Nov. "He reshaped the media and Republican politics. He was very critical of the Republican Party in many ways but was a huge fan of Reagan," according to Claire Potter, a history professor at the New School for Social Research and author of "Political Junkies: From Talk Radio to Twitter, How Alternative Media Hooked Us on Politics and Stole Our Democracy." "He took the terrain of conservatism of the 1980s and cobbled together a worldview that was not exactly Republican. The FCC rule change and Limbaugh's ascent during the presidency of Republican Ronald Reagan saw the American media landscape depart from domination by several broadcast TV networks and a handful of major newspapers that were generally staid and balanced to a more fractured era in which information melded with entertainment, known as infotainment. It was also lucrative for Limbaugh, who commanded a salary as high as $85 million annually. ![]() ![]() Limbaugh demonstrated that hours of ad-libbed provocative conservative monologues could be highly profitable for hundreds of ailing AM radio stations that carried his syndicated program. Limbaugh's rise coincided with the Federal Communications Commission repealing a rule in 1987 that required broadcasters to provide equal time to liberal and conservative political viewpoints. Bush said in a statement, "While he was brash, at times controversial, and always opinionated, he spoke his mind as a voice for millions of Americans and approached each day with gusto." Rush Limbaugh made Conservatives proud, and he made conservatism fun."įormer Republican President George W. He inspired a generation of American conservatives, and he will be deeply missed. 4, 2020.įormer Vice President Mike Pence issued a statement saying, "Limbaugh gave voice to the ideals and values that made this country great. President Donald Trump's State of the Union address at the U.S. FILE - Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh reacts as he is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. ![]()
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