Much has been written about the recent dust-up between Limbaugh & Fluke and the former’s inappropriate comments about the latter. Today Rush spent some time on his show perhaps grandstanding, perhaps clearing the air about the status of his advertisers.
And judging from the reaction of my own brother, who sends me a note last night, “You really lost 28 sponsors?” No, we have not lost 28 sponsors. “Well, how can they say it?” Because they lie and because they don’t understand how it works, and that’s what I want to try and explain. In fact, folks, we have three brand-new sponsors that will be starting in the next two weeks. Now, obviously, I’m not gonna tell you who they are today, but we’ve got three brand-new, full-fledged sponsors starting in the next two weeks. …
Nobody is losing money here, including us, in all this. And that is key for you to understand. They are not canceling the business on our stations. They’re just saying they don’t want their spots to appear in my show. We don’t get any revenue from ’em anyway. The whole effort is to dispirit you. It’s to make you think the left is being successful in its campaign when it isn’t. In fact, the left is so fed up, they can’t see straight. They thought they had me. They thought I would be off the air by now. They can’t understand why I still am on the air. There is also another rumor going around that I am going to be suspended for a week. It is utter BS.
via: Rush Limbaugh.
It’s easy to dismiss Rush’s monologue as self-serving propaganda. Consider this however, as I write this the 3rd most popular story at CBS News is “Will Limbaugh’s Show Outlast the Firestorm?” Over at the Chicago Tribune Clarence Page wonders, “Could This be the End of Limbaugh?” So maybe, just maybe, Rush is exactly on point; the Left is trying to keep this issue alive in an effort to drive him off the airwaves.
Perhaps the greatest evidence to the contrary — that Rush may actually be in some real trouble here — is that none other than Bill Maher is coming to his defense. Maher tweeted:
Hate to defend #RushLimbaugh but he apologized, liberals looking bad not accepting. Also hate intimidation by sponsor pullout
Maher’s tweet is covered at CBS News, the same outlet curious about the continued viability of Rush’s show. Maher is naturally concerned that his mouth could get the rest of him in trouble. After having called Sarah Palin several vile things, Maher might consider himself lucky that he’s not already been regulated to Mel Gibson type of treatment. Self preservation might be driving Maher to come to Limbaugh’s defense.
What also is interesting is the way that the Left and the Right treat each other.
Limbaugh’s comments have ignited a firestorm of fury online, sparking “Stop Rush” websites, a “Boycott Rush” Twitter hashtag, an anti-Rush twitter handle and a petition signed by more than 400,000 people calling on advertisers to abandon the show.
via: ABC News.
When Bill Maher was calling Sarah Palin a C^#! did 400,000 people call for HBO to drop his show?
It appears that all freedom of speech may not be equal.