Limbaugh: "a man, a mission, a mighty wind..."

In a brilliant Vanity Fair piece, James Wolcott has excised the festering carbuncle of the morning, Rush Limbaugh and reminded us of his single-handed, decades-long campaign to harm the environment, and hurt America.
 
Limbaugh, in a "multi-decade reign of denigration," spouted the language that has shaped so many everyday people's views on environmentalists and environmentalism.

Mt. Rushbo was busy denying global warming when most conservatives were still running around in bed sheets demonstrating against affirmative action.

He added the term "environmental wacko" to the lingua vulgaris, and has been mocking the right to life of endangered species since before the spotted owl was pardoned. 

Wolcott writes: Global warming's most popular denialist, talk radio's most imitated showman, conservatism's minister of disinformation, he has injected millions of semi-vacant American skulls with a cream filling of complacency that has helped thrust this country into the forefront of backward leadership. He has given Republican lawmakers the rhetorical cover fire to do nothing but snicker as the crisis emerged and impressed itself on the rest of the world.

We remember Rush's relationship with our dearly-departed ex-governor, Dixie Earl Ray, the batty  Democrat in-name-only one-termer who provided us (and the nation) with some embarrassing comic relief for four long years in the 1970's.

She was an eccentric scientist (once Atomic Energy Commission chair, Director of the Pacific Science Center; UW Zoology prof), and very conservative (she was a mentor to the young John Carlson, KVI m-f, 9-12)  and a most unlikely politician. She'd been way too controversial and incompetent to dare run for a second term, saving the Democrats from further embarrassment.

Limbaugh read her book, Trashing the Planet, (1990) which he proclaimed was "the most footnoted, documented book I have ever read."

Dixy was neither an atmospheric scientist nor a vulcanist, (folks Rush described as the "agenda-oriented scientific community") yet he and Dixy claimed there was no ozone depletion or global warming- just some dyspepsia from volcanoes, and an international socialist conspiracy to take way your comforts.

(Fairness in Accuracy and Reporting wrote: If you check Ray's footnotes, you'll find that the main source for the volcano theory is Rogelio Maduro, the associate editor of 21st Century Science & Technology, a magazine published by the Lyndon LaRouche network. Maduro is evidently not part of the "agenda-oriented scientific community"--even though he does have a bachelor's degree in geology).

Wolcott: Goebbels propagated the theory and practice of the Big Lie, in which constant thumping reiteration wears down rational resistance and fuses heartbeat and drumbeat. Postmodern conservatives prefer to let little lies proliferate and take on a viral life of their own that becomes impossible to arrest.

Rush's first book, The Way Things Ought to Be, he claimed to be in "... awe of the perfection of the earth," and Wolcott (who read the book so we wouldn't have to) writes that this was "a perfection crafted by the Creator who made us all, draping the stars in the firmament like the ultimate interior decorator."

But Limbaugh concludes, despite the gooey professions of earth-love, that environmentalists were "long-haired maggot-infested FM-type environmentalist wacko" and concludes, "If the [spotted] owl can't adapt to the superiority of humans, screw it."

Wolcott: Anyone can make mistakes, and anyone doing a three-hour broadcast five times a week is likely to make lots of them, but Limbaugh's mistakes all lean in the same direction and leave the impression that they're intended to obfuscate and make fact-checking as time-consuming, painstaking, and futile as picking shrapnel out of the wall or mopping up after Ann Coulter.

Rush's verbal skill, facility for scorn, and the wide reach of his commercial gab-show, Wolcott writes, ensured ... [that] environmentalists no longer need to be engaged, because they've been so stridently marginalized and stigmatized as a pantheistic kook cult practicing socialism under the guise of Gaia worship. This was largely Limbaugh's doing, and now every right-wing pundit from Cal Thomas to Michael Savage croaks the same tune.

What a disservice to us all has been this "self-intoxicated know-it-all" who's made large on the apathy-inspiring mockery of the now unambiguous proof of the biggest challenge the human race has ever faced. 

As Wolcott says, "Limbaugh will go down in history as a grand obstruction, a massive blockage endowed with the gift of gab."
~
(When we grow up, do we want to be Al Gore, or "Tommy" Thompson, or Anne-Marie Lake, Dr. Mañana or Larry Lovebreath? Hell no. We wanna be James Wolcott, Vanity Fair contributing editor and stylish media blogger.

Comments

[Tommy008]

Good blog about Limbaugh, with the exception that Michael Savage has actually never agreed with Limbaugh about the overall environment, although he does seem to join in on Limbaugh's global warming "poohpooh chorus"(which includes our own Frank Shiers). Savage, who has a PhD. in epidemiology (not a "degree in food" as jealous hack Mark Levin claim) respects science and has open contempt for Rush'es anti-intellectualism as typified by his "environmental wacko" rants. Savage puts on a fake cretin voice and mocks Rush saying "environmental wacko" on his show from time to time. He rightly claims that Rush is way off base and uneducated on the environment- actually his message is that Rush is an out of his league buffoon on the subject. Savage cares about the environment even though he's wrong about global warming. His excesses aside, one thing that sets Savage apart from sycophantic asses like Medved and Levin is his willingness to trash and ridicule Limbaugh and show open contempt and disgust for Bush.

[Blanco]

Got people writing about him, bloggin about him, talking about him - HE WINS!!!

[Tommy008]

duhh, he wins! what a perfect example of the anti-intellectual Rush "dittohead". Actually he doesn't win. The big bag of hot gas has been losing listeners and even some stations now for quite some time.

[joanie]

Besides, what does he "win?"

Besides increased generalized stupidity.

[sparky]

..."a massive blockage..." what an apt description.

[Blanco]

He WINS most things that people strive for in life, think about it!

[Minko]

"He WINS most things that people strive for in life, think about it!"

Speak for yourself.

[cowpotpi3]

What I really don't get is how 'conservatives' are so hostile toward 'conservation.' The post is spot on in regard to this. Just to share a funny story, I was in Dallas on business a few months ago and casually asked about recycling bins and such. I was shocked when a reply came back from a guy "that's just a bunch of liberal scare tactic crap." Huh? When pressed further, the gentleman basically wrote off anything said that would benefit the environment and categorized anyone who lifted a finger to do so as irrelevant. Where did he get his ideas? Well Rush of course.

[sue]

I remember my mom was so excited that we had elected a woman governor- then so disapointed because Dixy was such a goofball.

[fuzznuts]

Nice way to talk about the dead.

[cowpotpi3]

Nice logic there, if somebody dies you immediately have to refrain from disagreeing with their IDEAS. Just be honest and say what you really mean: Only criticize the ideas of dead people who don't agree with me politically.

Typically, you don't care to argue nor refute the issues rather you toss an inane drama-bomb and parachute out before you get called on your cant. Predictable.

[cowpotpi3]

Rush's "Barack the Magic Negro" audio:

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/50979/?comments=view&cID=643008&pID=642995

Note the lack of outcry on this one. I guess that vaunted "liberal media" took a vacation.

[chucks]

Off Topic;
What else is new? right.
Anyway, the Wa State Supremes have ruled unanimously in favor of KVI, Kirby and John. Talk radio taking up a cause and running with it is not campaign contribution.
This is good for democracy.

[chunkstyle]

Wasn't it Dixy Lee Ray? I think you might be conflating her with James Earl Ray.

[chucks]

I was living in California at the time, so not tuned in to WA politics at the time. But wasn't Dixie the one responsible for WPPSS?
Can't comment on Limbaugh for the moment. On Rush vacation for a few months. Same with Hannity. Brain was getting overloaded. Good day fellow talk radio freaks.

[cowpotpi3]

I think the decision was correct, how exactly do you put a value on talk anyway? While I disagree with those two on most things, I can't see this any other way. However, this means liberals can and should advocate on radio too. I do wonder how far this can go though.

[cowpotpi3]

Well Chuckles, yes Dixie was in the middle of the WPPSS fiasco.

Sure you can comment on Rush, he's been up to his anti-environment rants for years not a few months. Also, check the link to listen to Rush and his cronies singing Barak the Magic Negro. He's just as deserving of being canned as Imus was.

[chucks]

You are right cpp3. Talk radio is our voice on both sides of the isle. It is probably the best place for us to get our opinions heard.
As for the rush/Obama thing, I went to your link and listened. It is just parody. He has had much better through the years than that one. It is no worse than anything we see on cable tv comedy shows. Obama needs to have shit piled on him as deeply as the Bushes, the Clintons, Cheney, or any other public figure. Or me by you and others for that matter. The PC police need to back off. Politics is politics.
We both are disliked for our views by somebody at any given time. You get pissed off and have fun with it,as do I.
Imus is an idiot. I was glad to see him go. But not for saying that one stupid thing he said. I was glad to see him go because I just do not like him.
I know, it makes no sense. But I am a conservitive with a heart. That makes no sense as well.

[TalkRadioField]

Hoo ray, hoo ray, hoo ray!!!

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420AP_WA_SCOW_Talk_Radio_Disclosure.html

[Tommy008]

"he wins most things that people strive for in life" well, you're right in the sense that he's made goo gobs of money by taking the simple fact that "the masses are asses" and designing a talkshow that exploits that principle expertly. Catering to anti-intellectualism, bigotry, prejudice, meanspiritedness, ignorance narrowmindedness,etc... voila! I'm not denying that he has talent, although he's used it to become a demogogue. By the same token, a drug dealer exploits people's weaknesses and propensities for addiction and also makes goo gobs of money. So I guess hte drug dealer wins too. And so what? Does that make the drug dealer admirable or beyond condemnation?

[cowpotpi3]

Chucks you appear to have a double standard on this. Rush has made many racist comments over the years and you can also say that Imus said what he said as satire or a parody couldn't you? Are you simply defending him because he is a 'target' of the 'left' and he happens to agree with you politically? I hope you can see the slippery slope that position resides on.

[Blanco]

One BIG difference, the drug dealer is breaking the law!

[chucks]

spooks are niggers
wet backs are spicks
honkeys are crackers
red necks are trailer trash
chinks are gooks
krauts are...
hiemis are...
waps are...
polaks are...
dhimocraps are...
repuglicans are...
tree huggers are....
rich bastards are...
bumbs are.....
Goes on forever, doesn't it?
Everybody has a mean, crappy way of discribing somebody else. Maybe not everybody for every one group, but something for some group. Gets old, but that is the way it is.

[chucks]

Barack Obama is held up to public ridicule or adoration just as is George Bush. The college kids are not a legitimate target IMO.

[cowpotpi3]

Wow that is some seriously meandering logic there. Why do you think Imus got fired? Because he insulted a few specific people? No, because by his insinuation he insulted a great many. How is this any different than the Limbaugh parody? It isn't just Obama himself that are insulted and defamed you know, try and think outside the rigid box.

Are you aware of where the term "Magic Negro" comes from? It is a pretty specific derogation:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_negro

[Shaniqua]

I thought Imus got fired because he made Jesse and Al mad, ya know?

[chucks]

I thought like Shaniqua. He certainly didn't get poofed over anything I thought or said.
Unless, of coarse the big guys at CBS and NBC come to B'lam's site for wisdom or opinions.
In my little world cpp3, I had no idea where "magic negro" came from. Interesting indeed, but no can fire Mr Rush over it. I am sure he will get a good liberal spanking over it. I expect to see big Al or Jesse jumping on the band wagon any minute now. Victim-hood and all that.

[Tommy008]

Rush just told a tasteless, nasty joke about a cow and a man's wife, and then ran away teeheeing as the commercial came on, like a teenager after knocking on a door and lighting a flaming bag of dogshit on the front steps. That was followed by a dittohead woman from the midwest (aren't they all) spouting that conservative inanity about how if we withdraw from Iraq "the terrorists will follow us home." Duhhh. The terrorists have been trying to get into this country to cause murder and mayhem since 911. They are already motivated and don't need any catalyst to come here. Since it takes a different skill set to infiltrate a first world western country, blend in with the populace,and execute a terrorist plot, as opposed to running around a third world wreck of a country planting ieds and shooting off ak47's, the terrorist fighters over in Iraq are not going to be flying en masse to America after we withdraw. Earth to dittohead- we ARE "fighting them here" but thankfully morons like you aren't being informed of the daily details.It's called secrecy, STUPID.

[cowpotpi3]

Its all good Chucks, I know you will give a pass to those you agree with and will have an all out tizzy if a lefty did it. Its quite educational having you confirm how your morals and values are so easily sacrificed on the alter of conservatism.

[rev]

A correction to the brief account of Dixy Lee Ray's unfortunate career as governor: "She'd been way too controversial and incompetent to dare run for a second term, saving the Democrats from further embarrassment." is not correct. In fact, she did run for re-elecion in 1980, but she was defeated in the Democratic primary by (of all people) then State Senator Jim McDermott.

In the general election that November, McDermott was defeated by John Spellman, whose track record as King County Executive was highlighted by completing construction of the Kingdome under budget.

[chucks]

cpp3
We go in circles you and I. Fun though.
The left has Pat Robertson and Buchanan as well as other extreme right wing evangelicals to go after it. As well, it has Limbaugh, Malkin and Hannity to deal with,
The right has Sharpton and Jackson as well as other left wing pastors(?). It has Frankin, Olberman and Rosie to deal with.
If Rush gets fired as was Imus, so be it. As long as the government is not involved, it is capitalism and not censorship.
I am glad that Imus is gone, because I did not like him. I do not like Michael Savage just as much, If a reason can be found, bye bye Savage. And he is on my side (I think).

[bj]

The Vanity Fair article is a good and quick read:
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/05/wolcott200705

There's a good summary of the various schools of global-warming deny-ers. Our own local troglodyte and right-wing pawn Dori is in School No. 1: "Global warming is a hoax perpetrated by liberal social engineers scheming to hamstring growth, ban S.U.V.'s, and traduce property rights" ...

[cowpotpi3]

Not really Chucks. Here is the problem with what you're saying. Name one of those lefties who consistently purveys negative racist stereotypes like Rush, Robertson, Malkin and Hannity do. That is what the big stink is about Limbaugh so your comparison is basically a cop out because you do not care to call him out.

I'll tell you right now that I have issue with the tactics of guys like Sharpton and Jackson: They tend to put political rabble rousing above those they intend to help.

Where you can say you disagree with the VIEWS of the various liberals you have listed, I challenge you show that they are anywhere near the hateful and racist ramblings of Limbaugh, Robertson, Hannity and Malkins. If you want to go down this path there is a metric tonne of quotes and video that is piled up against you. There is no equivalence here and defending these cretins shows a real lack of courage.

[joanie]

cowpot, chucks will go to any length to first impune the left and second deny the right of anything sordid or inaccurate without suggesting the left does it too.

He is in peaceful, blissful and even blind denial. He thinks it makes him a likeable kind of guy . . . you should call him what he is: an uninformed racist and very selfish individual.

No amount of reasoning will change his stance. To acknowledge the truth would be to out himself as a character so negative, vindictive and angry, he would not be able to blog with the so-called humor he attempts.

[Thom]

joanie:

look up the definitions of "impune" and "impugn."

lol!!! you just defended chucks!!!

[joanie]

Thanks, Thom. Glad to know you're still reading. I should have been more careful. Impugn is correct.

Got that chucks? Let there be no misunderstanding. :)

[Steve J.]

Savage, who has a PhD. in epidemiology (not a "degree in food" as jealous hack Mark Levin claim)

Nutritional ethnomedicine in Fiji / Michael A Weiner 1978
English Book : Thesis/dissertation/manuscript iii, 185 leaves : map ; 28 cm.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 181-185)./ Dissertation: Thesis (Ph. D. in Nutritional Ethnomedicine)--
University of California, Berkeley, June 1978.