VoteVets.org ad in response to the Limbaugh “phony soldiers” malarky.
Digby has the back and forth from a Bill Bennett bloviating escapade on CNN yesterday. Note to Blitzer: you might want to have your producers prepare a fact sheet for you before you have guests on your show. What was clear from the Bennett all out defense mode was that defending Rush is a top wurlitzer priority these days. Why? Because he hasn’t just stepped in it with some tiny interest group, he stepped on the Republican brand — and he’s pissed off an already stretched thin and toughing it out military and their worn out families.
Not a smart move.
How dare Rush Limbaugh open his mouth and denegrate their military service when they earned the right — and then some — to say whatever they damn well please. And by defending the bloviating prick that is Limbaugh, the GOP has associated themselves with his comment full on.
The GOP is already losing the fiscal conservative vote as their brand shifts from “business party” to “can’t chew gum and walk at the same time” party. By stepping on the “we’re for the military” brand, Rush kicked the wrong hornet’s nest — and then he keeps stepping in it. The ad above is from a US veteran who was appalled and pissed at Rush’s temerity in asserting that veterans who criticize or question the wrong-headed, dangerous policies of this administration are “phony soldiers.” Rush saw the ad and responded by trying to paint the fellow as a brain-damaged suicide bomber. (No, I am not making it up. The idiocy knows no bounds.)
The former soldier’s response is priceless, and shows the danger that Rush has now put the GOP in vis-a-vis the people who are fighting their occupation of choice for them. Via Digby:
…Rush, your phony soldier comments pissed me off. The audacity of someone like you who never had the courage to stand and fight for what you believe in makes my head spin. That is what made me stand up and state my convictions in front of a camera. I wanted to point out that you are wrong. I am not a phony soldier. I believe that we are not doing the right thing for national security by staying in Iraq. We are putting too much strain on our military by extending tours and not giving people enough time at home to rest. We have taken our eye off of the real Al-Qaeda and let them regroup to their pre-9/11 strength. We have not developed a political system in Iraq that would enable the country to stand on its own.
I stood in the sand, snow, dirt, mud and dust of both Afghanistan and Iraq. I spent over a week on a side of a mountain in Afghanistan during Operation Anaconda. I received The Bronze Star medal for my actions during that battle. I crossed the border into Iraq with the first wave of the 101st Airborne. I sustained an open head injury on the streets of Mosul after a vehicle borne IED exploded next to the vehicle I was riding in. I have seen the aftermath of a real suicide bomber. I had loved ones who died in the 9/11 attacks. I have friends and colleagues who returned from the war in body bags.
Americans who have friends and family in the military right now know how thinly everyone is stretched. They know families who are on food stamps to get by during long reserves deployment, who need a hand with plumbing problems and babysitting, and whose kids cringe every time the doorbell or phone rings. They know soldiers who haven’t slept more than three hours at a stretch for more than five years. That is their reality.
This was the wrong hornets nest for them to kick and it’s full of all the things they don’t want to talk about: head injuries and other severe physical trauma and limb replacement, not enough body armor, not enough armor on humvees, not enough planning to begin with, not enough care for the families left behind, and an utter lack of respect for fallen soldiers who are given no respectful fanfare when they come home in a box draped with our nation’s flag in the dead of night so that no one ever sees them. You think people were pissed off before? You ain’t seen nothing like a pissed off soldier who feels like his comrades in arms have been disrespected by a bloviating coward.
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Zed?
Good morning Christy!
Jane!
Rush asked for it.
This bigot looks good roasting on an open fire with an apple in his mouth and his head up where the sun does not shine.
The beauty of free speech is that allows assho**s to make a bloody fool of themselves. The present passion in Congress to curb free speech, for what ever reason, is a dangerous slope.
The clear channel fat man has his few listeners, his believers, and trying to censor him is going to piss them off and gain nothing.
Morning all — thank goodness for coffee this morning.
All this evidence of a downward spiral to the GOP brand, yet the Dems still don’t have it in their hearts to be mean to the Preznit? Give me a break…
Great post as always, Christy.
Limpwithnoballs is beneath contempt. For this fat, drug addicted, convicted,draft-dodging,lump of suet to open his sewer of a mouth and spew his poison at the men and women who are on the receiving end of the results of the war criminal in chiefs fiasco in Iraq…and THEN to be on Armed Forces Radio is beyond belief. I sincerely hope this coward runs into some “phony soldiers” in an airport terminal some day soon.
What’s new with congressional manuevers to censure (or better, cancel his AFR broadcasts) the Pilodinal Cyst that is Limpbagh?
Christy
In my haste to get the zed, I didn’t say what a brilliant post this is.
I got chills reading your last paragraph. Then I felt sick to my stomach…and I don’t have the flu. I’m just so sad over the death and destruction.
Rush’s response to votevets is the soldier was lied to and is being used. It must be hard for Msgop morning anchor to interview Wes Clark
after having said on morning jerk -she thinks
Rush is right.
The media especially msgop and he who must work really cheap, Buchanan, contantly present a false choice.
The Democrats do not want to play chicken with Shrub over the troops. And Buchanan wants them to and claims that is the only choice that makes sense
Of course according to one of his leaders -the death of the troops are a small price to pay
Rush is the creep that hosts both the President and Cheney on his show. He has few guests, only the top officials as he says his voice is enough for his audience.
“The nations newsman” blerrrgh
nomolo is right – censorship is always a bad idea – but it still is a worthwhile endevour to get mr oxycontin off of Armed Forces radio.
I think the repukkkes are in full defense mode because they depend on the fat liar to fertilize the soil before they come in with their lies and half truths. He is an important part of the wurlitzer.
The wimpy dems ought to just bring back the fairness doctrine.
” Note to Blitzer: you might want to have your producers prepare a fact sheet for you before you have guests on your show. “
now that made me laugh.
American Troops are between a rock and a hard place. In addition to all the problems Christy mentioned, they have Blackwater creating even more chaos for them.
Dubya has created the biggest clusterfuck since Viet Nam.
Good Morning Christy,
he’s down but he’s not out quite yet!
Must be serious to get Bennett away from the gaming tables (sorry, that was just mean)
With a normal human being, the soldier’s statement above would have killed any and all words. There would be absolute silence in response because those like Limbaugh (and Bennett) simply have nothing to say. There IS no possible response from them except respectful silence and shame. Instead, they continue to lash out and attack the very people who, just a day or so before, they declare that we are all to virtually worship.
This is a clear demonstration that we are not actually dealing here with true human beings.
OT good news
from TPM
head injury? the soldier only had a head injury?
do you realize the side effects of V*agr* that rush limbaugh exposed himself to in the Dominican Republic enjoying the SHALL WE JUST CALL IT SADLY the ‘tourism industry?’
Digby is right on this. We should not subsidize his hate on AFRN and we should take this opportunity to take Rush down. We have let him get away with this kind of baloney for too many years. He distorts the national discourse and does no one any good. He is a cancer that must be excised with all speed. Everyday he is allowed to spread his poison is another day backward for us.
nomolos @ 17
Oh happy day (sarcasm). Just what we need, a Salazar lackey. I mean, Salazar is such a worthy prize to the supposed “opposition” party it can’t help but be of enormous import to have another GOP-lite-not-so-lite dem.
katherine Graham Cracker @ 14
707! me too :)
the “bullet fact sheet” or a “bullet proof fact sheet” as he’d need on this one.
nomolos @ 18
Not so much. Markey is most likely to wind up as just another Bush dog type congress critter. That was the same seat that Blue America candidate Angie Paccione(sp?) almost took last year when it was supposed to be a safe R seat.
Opportunism anyone?
I don’t think Rush Limbaugh et al. CARE, really. Their point is to attack anyone who they see disagreeing with the Administration. That has been their technique since 9/11. And if that person is wearing a uniform and has some actual battle experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, well, that’s too bad – “you” obviously must be crazy or deluded or being used or whatever because no one in their right mind would disagree with the President and Vice President. I’m waiting for him to next call this guy a traitor. That is the next thing, I think, though it would be so far over the line that I’m not sure even Dumbo out there would go for that.
Was it really the dems who disrespected the military after and during the vietnam war?? No my guess is that the Rush Limbaughs of life did exactly this, just like they did to Kerry when he spoke out against war. And my guess is that when you invalidate those who have been traumatized…they take it to the next level.
This is classic gaslighting on Limbaughs part. He is looking to get a military man to act out. This is what batterers do to their spouses so when the cops get there, she is hysterical. He plotted it so he’s thinking, his head is on straight. So the cop listens to him and disregards her. Sexism helps, but it’s the gaslighting.
We need to keep naming the parts of their strategy. I saw Ann Coulter made some comment that they should take away a woman’s right to vote. Gaslighting. They are invited the backlash in hopes that we will act out and discredit ourselves as community against this war.
Hang tough…the most important thing is for us to maintain our cognitive approach and not get to messed up in the emotionality of it. This soldier’s response was perfect, but if Limbaugh is the good batterer I think he is, he will escalate it again and try to hit it out of the ball park.
Brilliant article.
This gas bag has been spewing his bile for decades. I guess so long as he targeted women, disabled folks, LGBT, and the like, no one really seriously objected to him (left OR right, to be perfectly honest). Even when he made fun of Michael J Fox last year, people hardly blinked.
Now he finally finds a target most people object — and object loudly to.
Still and all, good to see people finally outraged at him in general. I hope he crawls into complete obscurity from which he hurls his invective only to find no one’s listening to him (his particular version of hell, I’m sure).
You know, Move ON went after a general (ya know, I guy with his own bodyguards when his in a war zone) who had allowed himslef tobe turned into a political spimmeister.
Petreaus abrogated his duty to tell Congress the full and fair truth in his testimony. That was a betrayal of his oath. He did not take an oath to uphold George Bush, he took an oath to uphold the Constitution.
The goddanmed wimp decides he’s gonna play politics and then hide behind his unform whining when he is treated to a political attack.
But Move On gets censured by the Senate?
Rush went after the grunts. The footsoldiers out there sweating in the heat, freezing in the cold and get shot up and blown up.
They didn’t trade in their staus as soldiers to become Beltway politiicans. They aren’t planning on running for president–Petreaus is delusional on that score– they are what they have always been, REAL SOLDIERS. They kind that don’t have their own bodyguards, the kind that don’t get invited to Capital Hill cocktail parties.
Nope, just heros who defend our country.
There si going to be a specail delux suite reserved in an inner circle of hell forols Rushbo.
Praedor Atrebates @ 17
With a little luck, they will bury themselves in this mire. They do persist in digging it deeper.
Will this be Rush’s Imus Moment? Let us pray.
We used to say with the Goopers that it was: Party Over Country.
That was naive. It’s much clearer now.
It’s Ideology Over Country.
Rush called the Soldiers Phony, because they weren’t sufficiently ‘gung-ho’ for the Ideology – they were ‘deviating’ from the Talking Points.
That’s a crime in Gooperland, you know. It’s taken as Disloyalty to Bush.
OT -
Is anyone else having problems getting to DailyKos today? I can’t get their site up no matter what I do.
Toby Wollin @ 24
Clearly he doesn’t care. However, this time he may have actually gone too far and lose his podium. I certainly hope so.
Wow,
Just saw the VoteVets ad on CNN. Holy Cow!
Rush has picked a fight that he cannot win.
But do not censure him…push him into telling the TRUTH!
Soon he will end up like Morton Downey Jr. who grew so desperate for attention he marked up his own face with magic marker szwatikas in an airport bathroom claiming neo nazis attacked him.
Soon the silence surrounding him will be more than his hearing aid battery going dead.
katie Jensen @ 25
Well she could keep voting then
I really believe you are all wrong on this one. I’ve had several Democrats come up to me who normally argue with me about everything and tell me how much they believe Rush has been excoriated by a Senate who has gone too far. I think between the moveon “ad” and the fake posturing the Dems have done on Rush, that a lot of folks are going the other way really fast. We shall see, but if the comments at where I work mean something, even hard-core Dems don’t like Rush being interfered with by the Senate.
Yes, I was having troulbe getting to DKOS from both work and home.
Wes Clark on MSNBC this morning saying that Congress needs to deal with this, pointing out that Rush is on Armed Forces Radio. The host, whose name I didn’t get, says that is a side issue. Clark agrees it is, but points out that it is about context, and we cannot have the discussion if one side is condemned and the other isn’t for the same offense, and that people who stood up for Petraeus, for the generals, should stand up for the men and women in uniform who cannot defend themselves from such charges. Pretty good for Clark.
I refuse to show loyalty and respect to troops just because they’re troops. Who is the person behind the troop?
As far as the Democratic Leadership™ is concerned if you’re not with the Bu$h£€®©o™ pogrom you’re a non-person. I’m with that person.
The Diane Rehm show focused on the BW hearing NOW
http://wamu.org/programs/dr/
When someone questions the authenticity of Pat Tillman I will defend his honor since he no longer can. That should be quite enough mr limbaugh.Buy the way could we see the billing records for christian mercernaries about that time and location??? Just asking
Here’s my letter sent to both Sen Warner (for all the good that will do) and Sen Webb:
******************************
Dear Senator ,
I am writing in regards to radio commentator Rush Limbaugh, his recent slander against “phony soldiers,” and the fact that his show is aired on Armed Forces Radio Television Stations (AFRTS).
I am a 22 year navy veteran who joined in 1974. I volunteered for military service not too long after Mr. Limbaugh used the excuse of a cyst on his buttocks to avoid serving our country in Vietnam.
I am proud of the years of service to our country. I am proud that I did my small part to ensure that every citizen of our country could continue to enjoy the rights given to us by God, and protected by our Constitution and our Bill of Rights. Of any right protected by our Bill of Rights, I value free speech as the most important; I consider this right as the bedrock foundation that all other rights flow from.
I am and have been from the very first, deeply opposed to our present war in Iraq.
On Mr. Limbaugh’s September 26 show, he characterized service members who advocate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq as “phony soldiers.” Since then, he has not only refused to apologize for this statement, he has denied it ever happened, claimed “Media Matters” is attempting to falsely smear him, and has even edited his tapes to prove he never said what millions of listeners did in fact hear him say.
Mr. Limbaugh has the right of free speech, as does every other person living in this country. However, in Mr. Limbaugh’s own words (spoken in late 2003 after radio commentator Howard Sterns’ show was canceled) “he has the right of free speech. He does not have the right to a platform.” Mr. Limbaugh’s “phony soldiers” statement is a personal insult from a man who was too cowardly to serve our county when he had the opportunity. I am furious that this man would insult the many thousands of our brothers and sisters still in uniform serving our country in Iraq, while holding personal opinions that our presence in Iraq is wrong.
While Mr. Limbaugh has the right to say what he wants, he does not have the right to say it on the AFRTS networks that are broadcast to our fellow soldiers, sailors, and airman around the world, one hour each day, five days each week. Mr. Limbaugh already has more air time than any other radio commentator of any political viewpoint. Enough is enough.
I respectfully ask that you support Retired General Clark and other political leaders in forcing the Department of Defense to cancel the “Rush Limbaugh Show” on AFRTS. There is no reason for Mr. Limbaugh to have a platform that allows him to insult the people who still serve to defend our country.
Please have this man’s show removed from AFRTS.
Sincerely Yours,
Ron Charest
ETCS(SS), USN(Ret.)
***********************************
Please feel free to use this as a base of your own letter.
Christy,
This is the kind of muscular and righteous pushback it will take to defeat Republicans and save our country.
The DLC triangulation led by Rahm, Schumer and Hillary (and damnit, Reid and Pelosi sure seem to have been co-opted!) suffers by comparison.
Here is a youg kid, with nothing but the truth on his side, charging hell with a bucket of water – and prevailing.
Whereas the DLC piss-ants whine, “we can’t do nuttin’, we need a bigger majority.”
Bullshit!
ADM @ 30
been down all morning :/
ADM @ 30
From comments posted I think everyone is having the same trouble
nomolos @ 33
Here is Rush’s buddy Bortz on Coulter:
I’m sorry but this is pathetic. The Pat Fucking Tillman story STILL has not received a full airing on the major news networks, to say nothing of adequate attention from Congress. Do you REALLY think that if they can ignore the Pat Tillman story, that any ordinary soldier with war stories is going to be received with open arms? If they thought they couldn’t defend Rush, they wouldn’t, they’d let him go under the bus, a la Imus.
The RW started the war!!! They know they don’t “support the troops.” They know WE KNOW they don’t support the troops. “Support the Troops” is just something they say they do, they don’t feel they have to show evidence of it. To point out the ways in which they DON’T support the troops is, to them, more a breech of ettiquette than anything else. They know NOBODY believes that Bush and the right wing “supports the troops,” they just don’t think it’s sporting to point it out.
Not when gambling addict Bill Bennet, who has been wrong about every subject he has ever weighed in on, gets the call to go before Wolf every time they need the “conservative” point of view. They’ve already got that base covered.
This won’t stick to Rush, and the Dem response to Rush’s response has been anemic to the point of requiring emergency hospitalization. Why haven’t Harkin and Reid taken Rush up on his offer to appear on the show? Afraid Rush will say mean things and “distort their words?” It’s better than allowing him to exist in a vacuum of his own devising.
The day the message of VoteVets is allowed full consideration is the day Hugo Chavez is allowed to swing from the Oval Office chandelier. Na. Ga. Happa.
Bush vetoed Schip
One word:
Bravo
OK, thanks for the info on DKos. Glad to know it’s not just me. But every time something like this happens I think the government has finally censored one of our outlets.
Now, back on topic. I keep hoping this will be Rush’s Imus moment. But that fat bastard keeps coming back. I hope the soldiers will keep up the attack. “Never give up. Never surrender.”
The medias message is this is just another war of words over Eyerack ..I know it’s true because Noron ODonnell told me so
Ron Charet
Incredible letter. Thank you for it and for your service to our country. Both are patriotic
Elliott @ 45
And we are surprised, how?
Now, let’s PLEASE see some blowback on this?!
raven @ 43,
Damn those uppity women! How dare they vote their interests!
I just love when repukes admit the obvious – they use political and economic levers to keep women (and minorities) beat down.
Nothing explains the Katrina response better – it wasn’t a bug, it was a feature.
Elliott @ 45
beautiful.
He just pissed off how many parents?
Mr Blifil @ 44
Which is why I’m more pissed off by their media and democratic party enablers. Maybe it should just be called the Media Industrial Complex.
masaccio @ 34
Exactly – would they allow the Iraqi version of Axis Sally, Tokyo Rose or Lord Hawhaw on the Armed Forces radio? Absolutely NOT. And I’d like to remind Mr. Limbaugh that making remarks on the radio that work against the morale of soldiers during wartime, at least in WWII was considered treason – all three of the above were tried for it: Axis Sally was sentenced 10-30 years; Hawhaw was hanged by the British government, and the most famous of the Tokyo Roses did 6 years and was then pardoned. The fact that he is doing this on US sponsored Armed Forces Radio is absolutely unacceptable and he should be removed.
And while we are supporting the troops
Bravo Ron Charest.
And thank you for your service to the nation, both then and now.
diogenes @ 41
I got a call from the Democratic Party Monday, seeking donations. I said, No way, the Democratic Party is letting me down, I am giving my money to MoveOn and Firedoglake, or individual candidates.
I recognize the risk is that at the party level the Dems just go for the corporate money rather than individual dough, but the message needs to get out.
raven @ 55
goddamn!
From Neil Boortz:
…going all the way back to the late 1980s to see what happens when women get the vote. His findings? In every single case, when women were given the right to vote the cost of government immediately began to rise as women, particularly single women, started voting for the candidates who would create more government spending programs designed to provide women with security. That magic word .. .security.
Lott found that young single women overwhelmingly vote liberal. When they marry and start a family they start voting more conservatively. That would be because their sense of security is provided by their family, and they don’t want government to interfere in their accumulation of wealth. Then, if that very same woman starts to feel that her marriage is threatened … or if she becomes divorced … she right back there voting for liberals again. Why? Security .. this time from the government instead of her husband.
Coulter is right. Deal with it.
Boortz is a liar.
Reagan made a huge deficit and grew the government as did Bush I. Clinton eliminated the deficit and created a surplus. Bush II has created the largest deficit in human history. Conservativism increases the cost of government. That is a fact.
looseheadprop @ 52
He gives not one sweet f**k
I listened to Limp’s show yesterday. He was jonesin’ to have Harry Reid on the show, but he specifically wouldn’t talk to the VoteVets soldier. He even made a big deal about not pronouncing his name correctly.
And why is nobody mentioning Don Imus in all this?
Why can’t Limbaugh’s fate be the same? Any pressure being put on Clear Channel?
I still think that they make these outrageous claims for the purpose of gaslighting. It’s a desperate attempt to get women to “burn their bra’s again” or something that the republicans can use to encapsulate the sexist ideas they like to promote.
Seriously. Batterers in domestic violence do this. They bait their partners saying crazier and crazier things until the woman explodes, believing he’s about to kill her, believing he hates her. The more outrageous he is, the more likely she is to lose control. Once she loses control, she fights back or she screams at him as the police pull up. Then he calmly says “see how hysterical she is?” The cop facing his own sexist beliefs says to himself “boy! she’s nuts.” The batterer if he’s sober enough and evil enough will be calm. They will say things like “I don’t know why she is so upset. She’s just angry because she thinks I was cheating on her, but I wasn’t”.
I really think this is part of the strategy. They want the left to rise…and if we rise without integrity they will nab any photo op. At this point I don’t think it will work. I think many of us have learned lessons from the past. But remember the republicans know they are picking on fragile folks. Some of those soldiers will have emotional problems. Minorities have emotional problems (women) because of the trauma of subjugation. They pick at those wounds in hopes of an uprising.
Wrt the new ad:
Scarmouth and the guy were making some fairly nasty remarks against both it and the Dim response earlier this morning and even Mica (sp?) wasn’t her usual progressive supportive self. Can’t remember exactly what was said but there was definitely NO focus on the thugs starting this whole brouhaha with the MoveOn ad. :-(
Kos is back up
Congressional one minutes on C-span 1. Only Patrick McHenry could brag about Unemployment quadrupling in his district. “Adversity struck” his district in the form of him…
Whereas 22 Dems voted with the Repugs to condemn the MoveOn.org ad,
raven @ 56
So what’s up with that? If he is a US citizen, how come she doesn’t have a green card or isn’t already a citizen herself by virtue of her marriage to him?
katie Jensen @ 63
This is the most logical explanation I’ve heard.
dakine01 @ 65
thx!
Impeachment Happens @ 63
Clear Channel’s CEO gave a statement yesterday stating they would not be condemning their “talent”. Link
My Rep already voted against SCHIP. Our County is poor and hurting. Jobs are leaving. My guess is that he voted against the uninsured children in our county. Disgusting
Elliott @ 45
How much more of the Bush administrations “compassionate conservatism” can American children, adults and the Iraqi people take?
An Iraqi Anniversary Unlikely to Be Celebrated in Baghdad is a good read.
Meanwhile, on the Larry King Show:
And Rush’s advertisers? They want to be supporting ‘talent’ that trashes the troops? I find THAT really hard to believe. I’d love to see the vets take this guy down.
IrishJim @ 72
Has anyone asked Rush how he feels about the active duty now in Iraq who do not support Bush’s aggressive war policy?
I think it is odd that I can not find a clip of former Senator Mike Gravel challenging Senator Clinton’s Kyl/Lieberman vote during the New Hampshire debate. There was a clip of this at Hardball and it is not there any longer. I can not find it anywhere else.
Hillary’s immediate laugh after Gravel asked her this critical question was disturbing. It demonstrated disdain for anyone who really challenged her in a serious way about this vote.
http://www.commondreams.org/ar…..9/27/4175/
Mike Gravel on his challenge of Hillary
Rush was booted from ESPN after making derogatory comments about Donovan McNabb and the same should happen with Clear Channel. I doubt it will though. Apparently, Rush is a key asset for them. If Clear Channel, a corporation, wants to continue putting him on the air, that is their right. HOWEVER, El Rushbo needs to be immediately removed from Armed Forces Radio. My (and all of yours too) hard earned tax dollars don’t need to be spent promoting and supporting his BS. Armed Forces Radio is completely non-partisan, or at least it should be. Soldiers should never be subjected to his brand of ridicule of they disagree with US, re Republican, policies.
ADM @ 30
Me too. Don’t know what the problem is.
Elliott:
Check your Facebook…*g*
Biodun @ 75
Ha! She is her father’s daughter! Bushspeak is genetic.
Thing is, in surveys on what sort of programming the troops want to hear, Rush doesn’t rate high at all — most soldiers want music on their radio, not talk.
http://papastraighttalk.blogsp…..isers.html
List of Limbaugh advertisers. Just for your information.
Impeachment Happens @ 77
I am with you on that. It seems like with every controversy with Rush, there is a big push to boycott his advertisers etc… and nothing happens. I guess he will still be selling gold bond and the likes without consequences. This military criticism might do the trick. I sure hope so.
Sparhawk @ 81
Just got on there. No problem now.
IrishJim @ 71
Unlike MSNBC, which pretends to be a component of the So Called Liberal Media, Clear Channel, with its pro- war rallies and right wing “talent”, does not pretend to be liberal. As an unapologetic component of the Right Wing Propaganda Machine (Mighty Wurlitzer) the pricks proudly defend Rush Limbaugh as one of their own.
Awww, the new thread doesn’t work…
Once again a major point is being missed. This is just the latest outrage. Limbaugh and his ilk are using the public airwaves to launch this venom without any obligation on the part of the station on which it airs to provide time for an opposing view. You own the airwaves people. Stations need to be responsible. That’s why we need a new Fairness Doctrine. Would you let someone put a winger bumperstrip on your car. They’ve got one on your airwaves.
Throw them some green:
VoteVets.org
http://www.votevets.org/
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
http://www.iava.org/
I just kicked $25 to each. How about you? ;)
Biodun @ 81
*waving!*
Jano @ 90
Rep. Hinchey has introduced one:
http://www.house.gov/hinchey/issues/mora.shtml
Toby Wollin @ 89
Yep. I clicked comments: 404!
New thread by Phoenix Woman: Appeared, then it was gone…
The Bush and Cheney cabal could care less what happens to the GOP after 2008. As long as they continue to make billions (trillions) for them selfs and their cronies that is all that matters to them. I am no fan of the republican party but I do believe we need a viable second party to maintain the balance. The GOP will go the way of the federalist or whig party assuming there is still a USA when BushCO is done.
Biodun @ 76
Another opportunity missed to ask why no Bush family member is willing to serve. Is that question illegal or something?
Ron Charest @ 40
Outstanding letter, Ron. I served in the Navy for 22 years as well and I can not sit by and watch this form of ignorance to be justified.
CWO2 (CTM), USN (RET)
Biodun @ 75
Neither parent is particularly bright. Jenna is about par for the course. Looks like Uncle Larry did his duty and tried his best to let her off easy.
“Not Your Decision?”
What does that mean? Are your feelings not your decision? Or was the war not your decision, so you have no opinion?
Folks, untwist your panties about censorship. Resolutions reflecting the sense of the Senate, no matter how stupid, and no matter the target, are not censorship, and neither is a request to edit, censure or remove an asshole from the air. It has been fun watching numbnuts try to recharacterize his comments as referring to someone to whom he referred later, when the nitwit he was speaking with on the air certainly was not referring to the actual phony soldier numbnuts claims the comments related to.
Toby Wollin @ 92
Damn, now if the dems had it together this could be a great moment to reenact fair to broadcasting.
“Liberals hate to see conservatives on teevee because for forty years they’ve been used to seeing Dan Rather and Walter Cronkite.”
“Conservatives like debate.”
–Ann Coulter on MSNBC’s Morning Joe this morning.
witness Darryl Issa. rethugs cant tell the difference between the military and the Hessians.
They defend both equally when the military guys really dislike the hessians.
it is pure penis envy, privatizing credo and Blind-Bush following.
This is another nail…bring on the coffin.
Per me @ 94:
And I was all ready to grab that zed! Sigh sigh… *g*
Indeed, the blonde Bush twin leaning forward last week with faux sincerity to tell Diane Sawyer she can best serve the country by being a teacher.
I’ll be sure to tell that one to the bank trust officer who just came back from a two-year [yes, two-year!] stint of “reserve” duty in eyeraq.
Rush Limbaugh and Coulter and all their ilk are pathetic self-hating toads, right along with Clarence Thomas and Larry Craig. And the faux royalty Bushies mouthing their insincere b.s. We can’t clean house on these creeps soon enough.
Biodun @ 102
I’ve given up on it – I’m just …zed-less.
I am all for Limbaugh being publicly excoriated for his asinine comments. But, the Senate should not be involved in this. It is a very slippery slope they are careening down and in the end free speech is going to take a tumble and be chilled.
For what? The mighty wurlitzer Limbaugh plays is only heard by the choir.
The tide has turned. But some people will simply go on protecting the liars and the trigger happy and the cheaters, thieves, murderers. Instead of facing the truth, the stains on this nation, which they have endorsed and implicitly aided, they want to verbally smash the truth tellers. Well, we’re not going to take it any more!!!
twȝk @ 100
The last time I got to speak to Hinchey in August, he was asking people to send letters to their local newspaper editors in support. It’s in committee now.
Biodun @ 100
If Ann Coulter says it, then you know that the opposite is true. Conservatives hate debate. Except for the Bush matriarch, they do not have the beautiful minds required for it.
Biodun @ 100
707!
From a recently returned soldier:
Army of Dude
Biodun @ 101
When has Rush ever had an honest debate on his show?
Toby Wollin @ 106
Good idea!
Badwater @ 111
Coulter used Faux News’s Hannity and Colms as an example of a debate show.
Biodun @ 87
I can never get there from Firefox – I have to use a link from another site, like this one.
Meanwhile, where’s everyone all of a sudden?
I guess we’re all waiting for Phoenix Woman…
Biodun @ 101
Has anyone told Ann that Cronkite has been off the air since 1981? Seem like everyone’s pretty used to NOT seeing him by now.
Bush Vetoes Child Healthcare Bill: No child left standing
twȝk @ 113
What would be great would be if we could get Maurice on here to talk about this, but I don’t know if he’d feel comfortable in this format. He’s a formidable public speaker, though and has been fighting Bush/Cheney every since day one of the first administration. If we could get this legislation some exposure, perhaps people would write/fax/call their reps and senators to make this a real issue to get passed.
OC Democrat @ 117
Bush: “If childrens wanted healthcare, they should have been born wealthy like me.”
And this:
Badwater @ 119
a silver spoon is remarkably effective for warding off disease.
Erdla @ 110
that’s a Classic!
By the way, this is the fourth anniversary of Mister “Why Don’t You Take The Bone Out Of Your Nose” Limbaugh’s being booted from ESPN for being a racist jerk.
Yet he’s still on Armed Forces Radio.
Badwater @ 120
Truer Bush: Childrens will get nothing once out of the womb.
peanutbutter @ 51
While the White House continually argues that decisions need to be made based on “changing conditions,” it refuses to acknowledge the changing conditions in income/insurance needs/children’s health.
Toby Wollin @ 119
That’d be a great thread! Maybe you could be a tech liaison :)
More exposure would be great and I’d certainly like to hear more.
. . . And children’s can learn:
to be hungry
to be ill.
Families USA – “Bush vs. Kids” SCHIP Ad
Ron Charest @ 40: Excellent point!! Good to have the distinction made!! Citizens have the right to free speech, but that is not the same as having the right to a platform that is (1) rare and (2) privileged. A platform that also exists largely not on philosophical grounds but because it brings in listener share and thus advertizing dollars.
Hmmm. What am I doing right now? I am exercizing my right to free speech. I do not know how many people might be reading this, but it is sure more than if I were just talking to myself or to my wife: this blog gives me a platform to use. (Ironic: I wonder if Limbaugh’s comments would have made it through moderation here. Perhaps they would have — no violence advocated.) Just what is the difference between a radio broadcast and a blog with comments?
new thread…
dakine01 @ 66
yawn…
Phoenix Woman is here:
All Of A Piece
twȝk @ 127
Well, I can put whoever does these things together with his local guy. I don’t know how these sorts of things get set up..I’m just a zed-less housewife from Upstate New York *g*
Toby Wollin @ 134
Ask PW in the next thread :D
Is Obama “parroting” John Edwards?
http://thehill.com/leading-the…..10-03.html
looseheadprop @ 50
Ditto. Thanks you Ron. Nothing makes me more upset than when Bush uses troops as a backdrop for political attacks. Disgusting.
Also disgusting and confusing to see dems refuse to internalize that they are in the ring with an opponent that fights dirty.
Ron , Again, Thank you.
rxbusa @ 69
I don’t know the particulars but you don’t have to be a US citizen to serve in the US military.
Folks,
The real creep in all of this is Mark Mays. CEO of Clear Channel Communications based in San Antonio, TX. The Mother of all red states and the ultimate source of all the filth that is todays GOP.
If you haven’t read his (Mark’s) pathetic statement of support for Rush’s “phony soldiers” comment yesterday, you need to. It will make you madder than hell. THIS is the reason Rush has no zipper to close on his over medicated mouth.
Letter/call/email/protest Clear Channels advertisers and you get Mays attention. Get Mays attention through his money belt and you get to see Rush standing with Imus in the “Who Cares Anymore” line.
Case in point….Why is Clear Channel boasting on their corporate website that NBC has purchased Clear Channel for its Fall lineup? What gives NBC? Those are the questions we should all be asking ourselves.
Wolf Singer
Letter/call/email/protest Clear Channels advertisers
Yes — we need an advertiser to drop sponsorship. Once one has done so the questions immediately becomes why the others are not doing so.
I think that Vote Vets is the best hope for future antiwar dissent, and Limbaugh’s attempt to marginalize dissent by servicepeople is an incredibly crucial issue because of this. More and more returning vets are going to oppose the war, and EVEN IF Rush is still on the air, this is branding him as anti-military, and that will really affect his credibility across the board.
Who really cares what a fat, bloviating, cigar smoke smelling, draft dodging junkie, that takes V*agra on a vacation he goes on by himself, has to say. Let’s have a contest. One hundred words or less titled. “What Rush Really Did On His Vacation.”
~~~ModNote: Edited for content to clear filters.~~~
C’mon, give the big guy a break. He did have that pilondial cyst that kept him out the draft for Vietnam back when it would have been his time. You can’t really appreciate how tough a break that must have been for a huge superpatriot like Rush. And he could have whipped those V.C. with half his brain tied behind his back, too…
snowbird42 @ 85
Just called 5 of them and told their frontliners that I as a citizen did not want to be even remotely associated with the intellectual sewage that rush puts out, and that supporting said spewage does not reflect well on their corp. image. They were all friendly, and 3 of five indicated surprise that that their co. WAS in fact supporting them! Keep them calls & letters coming! :)
twc @ 142
He could have also had surgery on that cyst and then gone into the military. “Just a hypocrit everywhere he goes……”
secularhumanizinevoluter @ 8
Bears repeatin’! ‘V’
Can somebody explain what the fuck rush LIMPbaugh has on these putrid repuKKKans senators. They are all dusting off their knee pads while defending this SPOROZOAN
Lately I’ve been watching Ken Burns’ The War, about WWII, and I’ve been more impressed than ever with the guts combined with modesty of that generation. The most disturbing parts of this series show the photos of dead Americans, indicating the real price many of them paid. I can’t help but think that we should be seeing this in our current war, but the MSM and the current administration are too cowardly and dissembling…
What this reveals is that his apologists who are running around screaming “Jesse MacBeth! Jesse MacBeth!” are already one giant faux paus behind. Rush has now openly and directly insulted a real soldier by name. He’s stepped in it, all right.