Limbaugh free spirit, CEO says, regretting offense

How exactly is it possible to protest against someone's supposed attack on free speech by attacking his right to free speech? The statement that someone has earned the right to say this or that because they belong to some group is in itself an attack on free speech. Everybody has the right becuase they are US Citizens. We are all equal under the constitution. No special treatment for soldiers, no special treatment for radio talkshow hosts.

The most pathetic part of Rush calling our troops who don't support the war "phony soldiers" is that he altered his audio and written transcripts to make it appear to look like he was only speaking about one guy.

This is the same trick that the robots over at Fox Noise Channel use when Bill-O or Sean Insanity say something stupid.

One MSM publication exposed anti-terrorist secrets on their front page. The Democrats wouldn't join in a condemnation of that paper because of their past support.
Ten million people heard what Rush said and anyone who has listening knew what he was saying.
Hillary's front group Media Matters will happily lie for her political ends. She pulls the rest of the Democrats into the gutter with her when using these Stalinist tactics.
Any news outlet had better check carefully anything coming from that group. Your credibility is on the line also.

No one on radio has suported the troops over seas more than Rush Limbaugh.

"I think, frankly, I would like to see us try to restrain ourselves from condemning through resolutions all of that with which we disagree," Hoyer told reporters today. "I have a zillion resolutions that I can think of."

Glad to see D's being realistic, rather than the foaming at the mouth grandstanding exhibited by republicrites over the Move-on ad.

Weak, weak, weak. Rush Limbaugh was clearly talking about true "phony soldiers", people that pose as military members to seek out attention from the media, which they gladly grant them as long as they are trashing the military and America. This is nothing more than a diversion from the fact that the democrats have not succeeded in their quest for defeat.

Jereamie- you are full of bull. Rush meant real soldiers that oppose the war. You are as big an idiot as he is.

Those people signing the letter were all Democrats trying to distract the radical left's attention from the fact they voted new funding for the war yesterday. Won't work. The people at Moron.org know who you are.

Has anyone here actually read a transcript of Limbaugh's comments?

Clear Channel was just bought by Massachusetts venture firms. Rush is dead meat anyway.

"While I do not agree with Mr. Limbaugh on every topic,'' Mays writes, "I do believe that he, along with every other American, has a right to voice his or her opinion.''As long as they are operating within the law, he says, he will not tell his on-air personalities what to say.

...And as long as they are raking in major advertising revenue.

That being said, Steny Hoyer has a point. Let's move on (no pun intended).

Isn't it amazing that a coward who out of Vietnam because of a ingrown hair folicle on his big fat a$$, whom did soooooo many drugs he damaged his hearing, someone whom went to the Domincan Republic (called, by the UN the 'underage prostitution capitol of the Western Hemisphere) and STILL needs Chemical help to get it up has the nerve to insult people far better then he was/will/could ever hope to be on his very best day.

Even more insulting, as the uproar of his despicible comments grows, his evil kind in the GOP are trying to get resolution COMMENDING the fat gas bag passed.

So this is how it goes: the GOP can do whatever they want, and everyone else is a target for character assasination if they diplease the 29%ers.

Brian,

I have read the transcript and listened to the audio. One problem: Limbaugh edited the transcript on his site.

"You are as big an idiot as he is." - Les

Wow. You sure are a tough one Les.

American's do in fact have the right to free speech and to say what is on their minds...However the right to free speech is no protection against criticism to anything anyone may say...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGgdMRFnp6A&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecrooksandliars%2Ecom%2F

this is a youtube video from faux news which hannity & melanie morgan try to help out the fat, drug-addicted limp one.

Senator Harry Reid must be called upon for his immediate resignation. He is a true embarassment to all Americans.

Rush Limbaugh is just another Ann Coulter. They are both pawns in the game of trying to pass off propaganda as the truth. If they ever told the truth completely, they would be fired from their jobs. The Republicans would have nothing to do with them.

"The most pathetic part of Rush calling our troops who don't support the war "phony soldiers" is that he altered his audio and written transcripts to make it appear to look like he was only speaking about one guy.

This is the same trick that the robots over at Fox Noise Channel use when Bill-O or Sean Insanity say something stupid.

Posted by: John E | October 2, 2007 8:00 PM"

You are confused.

Show me the before and after. You can't.

The video of what he said is posted at rushlimbaugh.com for anyone who cares enough to know the truth to see.

Anyone who has ever really looked at Media Matters has to notice the great lengths they go through to supply full context for comments such as Rush's, with complete transcripts and links to full audio. You make a stupid comment, you deserve to get called on it, whatever your political persuasion. Listen to the audio yourself and you can tell that Rush realized what he said, and went into full CYA mode. If you can't hear that, it's because you don't want to admit it.

I don't know why someone like old whatnow would object to this approach. It certainly beats swift-boat deceptions and deliberate Drudge misrepresentations (otherwise known as more lies).

The video of what he said is posted at rushlimbaugh.com for anyone who cares enough to know the truth to see.

If the addict posted it, it can't be true.

Hopefully the good people of Nevada will be able to vote in a Patriot next time instead of a surrender Monkey

Benedict Limbaugh. Talk about a traitor. All this time I thought he was for supporting our troops, our generals, and our fearless leaders who are doing their best to keep us safe and free. And then this guy has the gall to attack a significant number of troops who are dying on a daily basis for his security and freedom. Regardless of the views of those soldiers, they are doing their duty to the country. Limbaugh apparently doesn't respect that.

After he is caught, then he changes the transcripts and says it is about one person. Sorry Limbaugh, you were caught. Limbaugh defines the words unpatriotic and traitor.

Congress needs to stay clear of the whining and bickering. Keep it to op-eds and press conferences. Let traitors be traitors and hopefully the American public is smart enough to recognize them.

The world is full of stupid egotistical idiots who resort to name calling if they don't agree with the politics or philosophy of others.

The funny thing is that this exposes the left's garbage more than anything.

When M. Matters firt broke the story, they didn't include the McBeth portion. Niether did Silva (imagine that) In Silva's 2nd "updated" version. He STILL didn't include it.

Once normal people figured out that they were taking Rush out of context, M. Matters had to regroup and is now claiming that Rush "doctored" the transcript, which is a total joke.

The fact that they admit the McBeth portion exists, blows their entire argument. The fact that the left propped up McBeth makes them look even worse.

People on the right have been talking about "phony soldiers" like McBeth and Massey and the guy for the Republic, for quite a while.

This is probably the first time left wingers have ever heard of them. They probably have no idea they were fakes because they cacoon (sp?) themselves in left wing media sources. Its a total surprise to them.

Everyone on the right knows about the "phony soldiers" phony stories. These are the only troops the left likes to promote...hence the original discussion.

So...in short.

You people on the left are wrong and have made yourselves look like the fools you are. (except for John E. he does that on his own on a daily basis)

Jimbo, now it's your turn for a lesson, media matters is funded by a left-leaning think tank. It does anything BUT provide context in its reports. In fact, it's even known that its reports are politically-motivated. That's why there's never a democrat criticized in any of its reports. None. Not even William Jefferson. It's anything but reliable and bipartisan, sorry.

Also, Silva did his best to make it look like Mays took Reid seriously but the real message in that letter to Reid was take your indignation and put it where the sun don't shine because clear channel will do nothing to muzzle their cash cow.

It would sure help if you bothered to listen to Rush's radio show. Isn't it ironic that the very people that have been undermining the military are the very ones siding with the unpatriotic Harry Reid. It is also not surprising to see the unpatriotic Dick Durbin on this list as well.

Hey Mark Silva,
Are you familiar with this term?

yellow journalism

n. Journalism that exploits, distorts, or exaggerates the news to create sensations and attract readers.

I agree with the CEO. The question is, "Does Limbaugh have the courage to stand by his own opinions?" Thus far, the answer is a resounding "NO!"

Mark Mays if a liar and freak'n hypocrite..how unusual for a Republipuke. His network banned the Dixie Chicks on all clear channel stations for exercising their free speech rights slamming our chimp-in-a-flight-suit while touring in England. Republipukes can dish out the crap like no one else, but when they're called out on the carpet, they sure can't take it...Mark Mays, the biggest BS'er of the day!

Oops, "is not if" in my previous post.

Limbarf is NOT practicing
"free speech", nor has he,
for more than two decades!
His career position IS
strictly as 'paid political Reactionary Rightist hack and polemicist'.

"I can't help but wonder how my Republican colleagues would have reacted if the tables were turned -- if a well-known Democratic radio personality had used the same insulting line of attack against troops who support the war," DINGGEE HARRY REID added.

Troops that support the war are Phoney Troops ?

THAT MAKES SENSE TO DEMOCRATS ?

BASS ACKWARDS ARE THE DEMOCRATS !!!

Excuse me but every Citizen who chooses to live free in the future had better start supporting this war. Hate to tell you but if the Real TRoops lose so do we .

I feel like I am surrounded by a bunch of DEE DEE DEE"S

FREE SPEECH BCHES>

Limbaugh on the Vietnam War: "I had student deferments... and I did not want to go." - Interview with Jeff Greenfield, ABC News 92nd Street YM-YWCA, 1992

Gas Bag Lumbnuts has his Karbunkel screwed on backerds. Kick him off the armed forces radio. Oxicotten has turned his brain pan into a jelly mold. Barry Goldwater is turning over in his grave, at the thought of this discussting remark spewing from the mouth of a so called conservitive. Fat a$$ has plenty of money to feed his cigar hole and drug addiction. It is well past time the idiot be banned from the armed forces radio. He is a disgrace to common Americans.

Frankly, I'm tired of the free speech police & of all the apology demands on both sides. Congress should have better things to do...

It is obvious that most of the idiots posting here did not actually listen to Rush when he said it. I, on the other hand, did and know first-hand that he didn't modify anything in the transcript or video.... Making a false accusation without basis or support is dishonest, people...

Rush is absolutely telling the truth, and those who ignorantly lie about it are, well liars themselves. Harry Reid, Jack Murtha, John Kerry - and their type - have been actively seeking to undermine the U.S. military for years, and now that they've been exposed as lining up with enemies of America yet again, they're seeking cover through the Bill and Hillary model of attacking relentlessly and repeatedly to divert attention with the support of the far-left liberal media.

Limbaugh very clearly was talking about the phony soldier who was washed out of boot camp after six weeks and who then went on to lie, lie, lie about the horrors he personally (didn't) go through in Iraq. This is not the first case of lying s.o.b.'s who claim military credentials but lack them.

And, in case you didn't catch it, it was ABC News - a week before Limbaugh talked about it - that did the first recent story about these kinds of "phony soldier" (their words) stories against the war. Yes, there are "phony soldiers" and their anti-war stories. It is true that there are some genuine, honorable soldiers who legitimately do oppose the Iraq war, but they are truly a minority of those serving in the military. One can deeply and strongly support the military while acknowledging both of those facts about genuine and phony soldiers opposing the war.

A mainstay play out of American Liberals' tired old "playbook" is to tell a "justified" lie because they ASSUME that a conservative MUST be lying.

In reality, this whole situation with Limbaugh is a perfect example of how the stalinist lefties actively seek to suppress free speech in American today because they just can't win an honest debate about ideas and facts.

Even the TITLE of this article is intended to mislead: "... regretting offense" leads one skimming through to assume that Mays "regretted" an offense that was committed by Limbaugh, when in fact he was stating his regret that "offense" was taken by fools like Harry Reid. What an absolute bunch of phonies; feigning offense when it is clear that none was ever intended nor should have been taken.

More B.S....

The reality is that Media Matters is just a front organization for the Clintons and the money people behind them, and this squabble is just a minor skirmish in the battle for the election of 2008. In this case, they're just shooting blanks, however.

At the end of the day, Limbaugh's strength is just increased by this, and Harry Reid and co. just look even more stupid and ineffective than before, if that were possible.

This is nothing more than a diversion from the fact that the democrats have not succeeded in their quest for defeat.

Posted by: Jeramie | October 2, 2007 8:15 PM

Jeranie, easy turbo. Nobody on the left wants defeat and you know it. They just disagree with the prosecution of the war.

Rush Limbaugh is a redundant has-been who has been marginalized due to his own rhetoric.

The "phony soldiers" were exposed on the ABC Evening news Sept. 24, 2007. See http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3645227

That's what Limbaugh was talking about - so was everyone else who either say the ABC Evening News story or saw the promos that ran which ran several times before it aired.

I think the obvious solution to this problem is to listen instead to Howard Stern on Sirius Satellite radio

Limbaugh may dodge and spin to his heart's content, but it is clear from the audio and the transcript that he was calling soldiers who spoke out against the war "phony soldiers." (You may recall he also attacked the soldier who questioned Rumsfeld about armor.)

One poster says no one on radio has done more than Limbaugh to support the troops. I can give you one: Al Franken, who has done several USO tours. Limbaugh has been to Iraq once. I can't think of anything else he's done.

That said, I'm angry that Democratic senators are spending valuable time on this, just as I was angry by the fuss over MoveOn.org's Petraeus ad. They've got more important things to do. If they don't, maybe we need to dump them all and elect some new blood.

Why has congress turned into nothing more than a "pissing contest"?

And they wonder why there is such a low approval rating?

We have major crisis' across the board involving "health care, education, the war in Iraq, etc." and they waist time to rebuke MoveOn and Rush?

Give it a rest congress and get back to real work.

You remember, the actual work the American people voted you in for.

And before anybody complans about my grammar, I realize I used the wrong "waist". Of course I meant "WASTE".

Sorry.

Clear Channel supports free speech? What a bunch of bs.
When was the last time anyone heard the Dixie Chicks or Steve Earle on one of their owned radio stations?

Posted by: whatnow | October 2, 2007 8:07 PM

A typical wingnut. Lie, distort, dissemble and then dig in. Never explain, apologize or admit error. It's Bizarro America. They create their own "reality."

Judging from all these postings, Rush
Limbaugh's 20 million listeners sure include a lot of left wingers. With all the publicity they're giving him, he'll have 40 million by the end of the week. By contrast, Katie and her pals on the network news range from 5-7 million each and most large newspapers have fewer than a million subscribers. And contrary to the headline, Mays did not "regret the offense," he regretted that Reid took offense. Big difference. The English language isn't that difficult, folks.

Exactly right Steve34.......
"Give it a rest congress and get back to real work.
You remember, the actual work the American people voted you in for."

Our elected officials had better get on the ball and start showing RESULTS or I and millions like me will vote to REMOVE them. I am so tired of the attacks on people like Rush, for crying out loud he is a radio talk show host! What in the world do the demo's hope to gain by attacking a radio talk show host?
GET TO WORK CONGRESS!

Guess that Mr. Reid and the left only thinks that the First Admendment is only for those that they agree with and not anyone else.

Funny how the left leaves those on the left that really insult the soldiers by calling them Nazis or worse alone. Then attack Rush for insulting one individual who washes out of basic training, that lies about his service and about receiving various medals of honor.

The left needs to really examine itself, and were they stand.

Cary, you say the English language isn't that difficult. It is -- it is for the Loony Lefters who have a reading, comprehension, understanding problem. In reality talking parrots have more intelligent and ability to communicate with common sense than those who make up the Loony Left.

RNCBruce = LIAR!

He doctored his audiotape and transcripts, moron. The actual tapes have been floating around for days. Why do these idiots (Limpbaugh, O-Liely, Insanity, etc.) continue to say they're taken out of context when the actual, real-time audio/video is posted all over the place. Then we have sheeple saying go to their websites and listen to the DOCTORED tapes to prove their irrelevant points! Brucie, you truly are ripping off the RNC who pays you to post!

[quote]
That's why there's never a democrat criticized in any of its reports. None. Not even William Jefferson.

Posted by: Anonymous2 | October 2, 2007 10:55 PM
[/quote]

You obviously have NEVER read anything on their site. I have been reading it for several years, and they've nailed Democrats dozens of times. But that fact doesn't fit with your close-minded view of reality - that's your problem, not ours.

And, in case you didn't catch it, it was ABC News - a week before Limbaugh talked about it - that did the first recent story about these kinds of "phony soldier" (their words) stories against the war. Yes, there are "phony soldiers" and their anti-war stories. It is true that there are some genuine, honorable soldiers who legitimately do oppose the Iraq war, but they are truly a minority of those serving in the military. One can deeply and strongly support the military while acknowledging both of those facts about genuine and phony soldiers opposing the war.

Posted by: Bruce | October 3, 2007 1:35 AM
[/quote]

Bruce, I watched the ABC news report on YouTube. Neither the reporter nor any of the "phony" soldiers said anything against the Iraq war.

So go take your lies and stuff them.

Hillary's front group Media Matters will happily lie for her political ends.

Posted by: whatnow | October 2, 2007 8:07 PM

Yeah, UNdoctored tapes and transcripts of Rush's broadcast are lies. You're a piece of work, whatnow! LOL You've got to be the biggest hack in the Swamp LOL!

Wouldn't it be cool if the democrats had this much enthusiasm, zeal, and anger toward our enemies, then they do about this? Take a deep breath, Google ABC Phony Soldiers Story and then you'll know exactly what he was talking about. Until anyone on this forum can debate this honestly w/out avoid dodging the ABC Phony Soldier Story done weeks prior, then you're full of it, and you know it. Again, I wish you were more outraged after 9/11 against the terrorists and cared more in winning this war, then this tit for tat dishonesty. This is why we don't trust you in national security. If Hillary wins, we're going to provide her the same courtesy and support you gave our President. See you in 08'!

Bruce, I watched the ABC "news report on YouTube. Neither the reporter nor any of the "phony" soldiers said anything against the Iraq war.

So go take your lies and stuff them."

BC you must have missed the part on J. McBeth. Unless your "trusted" left wing media source cut it out for you.

I just realized that this entire smear is the left wing TET offensive.

Coordinated attacks on O'Rielly, Limbaugh and now Savage.

Hysterical.

Clear Channel pigs defend free speech as long as it's a pig's free speech.

JD, you must understand that BC has issues with his brain.
You see, he considers an actual press release from the U.S. Attorney's office as "a lie."
Men's Vogue is not a good enough source for him.
Folks have noted Jesse Macbeth time and time again, and he was one of the indicted "phony soldiers" in Washington state and who was one of the biggest liars about serving in Iraq.
Anyway, from the beginning Rush and the caller were referring to phony soldiers, whether Iraq War critics or not.
This is just another smear campaign by the unAmericans on the Left and in the media. They have declared war on Traditional America and will seek to smear and destroy whoever they desire to ruin. That is what all of this comes down to.

Gee whiz, why would anyone want to attack Savage.

"Jimbo, now it's your turn for a lesson, media matters is funded by a left-leaning think tank. It does anything BUT provide context in its reports. In fact, it's even known that its reports are politically-motivated. That's why there's never a democrat criticized in any of its reports. None. Not even William Jefferson. It's anything but reliable and bipartisan, sorry."

Well, Media Matters is upfront about their politics - which is far more centrist than most radical wingnuts are willing to recognize. So what. Who cares who they are funded by. There are literally dozens of radical right-wing think tanks dominating the discourse right now. I think there is plenty of room to allow for the truth to sneak in.

Have you been listening to O'Reilly again. Pleeeeeze, give me a break. Why do they have to be bipartisan anyway? You certainly aren't. They have never criticized Democrats? Simply not true. You need to read a little deeper.

You honestly don't think that providing extensive transcripts and unedited audio provides context? You just can't please some people, particularly those inclined to ignore facts.

Yeah, you sure taught me a lesson. Wingnuts like you are not a reliable source of information.

C.Morris,
I agree that Savage is over the top and doesn't help any debates.....but it is a clear coordinated attack on the 3 most popular people who hold aren't afraid to take the left to task.

Mark Silva earned his stripes on this one. He can show up at the cocktail parties and strut his stuff now.

Yellow journalism at its finest ....or worst.

The left wing "TET" offensive

Michael P. Mays treated Harry Reid with too much bureaucratic compassion. Harry Reid and Dickie Durbin did this becasue of Hil's Move On.org site going crazy and saying General Pataeus or Is He General Betray Us. This has driven the Hillary websites loony and Media Matters along with Center for Progressives have sicked Reid and Durbin on Rush Limbaugh to deflect attention from their big mistake. Clear Channel used a bureaucratic answer-- a timid response to Dingy Harry and Dickie. Jerry White, Springfield, IL

Limbaugh altered the transcripts and audio on his website. Goes to show how dishonest he is.

This is why this nation is in such a sad state of affairs. I really could see this getting violent in the near future.

Media Matters sucks, and apparently liberals are too stupid to realize what is right and wrong anymore. I can't stand these guys more and more every day.

Media Matters sucks, and apparently liberals are too stupid to realize what is right and wrong anymore. I can't stand these guys more and more every day.

Posted by: Bill Jenkins | October 3, 2007 6:46 PM

The definition of stupid in the dictionary has your picture next to it.

Face facts and weep.
Oxicotten gas bag has shot his Karbunkel in the a$$.
His "funny" about the special olymipic's was just plain bad. His mocking of M.J.Fox who suffers from Parkingson's.
That was very mean and nasty. His remarks about any uniformed military person are lame.

Every Vet
has respect for another Vet.
Fat a$$ should remember this truth. A non Vet is a phony soilder.
Save the raw recruit's and presently serving uniformed militay persons.
The EIB network loves phony soilders like Dick and W and 89% of the so called Conservative's of any note worthy spew.

If Clear Channel didn't remove Rush Limbaugh for his repeated illegal drug use and sex tours in the Domincan Republic, why would they fire him for insulting American combat troops?

Rush, Bush Cheney
Never served
Never Will
All Chicken Hawks loud bully types.
Always seem to have weak non thinking followers.

"The most pathetic part of Rush calling our troops who don't support the war "phony soldiers" is that he altered his audio and written transcripts to make it appear to look like he was only speaking about one guy.

This is the same trick that the robots over at Fox Noise Channel use when Bill-O or Sean Insanity say something stupid.

Posted by: John E | October 2, 2007 8:00 PM"

You are confused.

Show me the before and after. You can't.

The video of what he said is posted at rushlimbaugh.com for anyone who cares enough to know the truth to see.

Quick! Alert Media Matters. Limbuagh just siad, and I quote, "we will have to put up with this for another year, 13 months".

Ha haaa!

He's too stupid to know that a year has only twelve months.

"Face facts and weep.
Oxicotten gas bag has shot his Karbunkel in the a$$.
His "funny" about the special olymipic's was just plain bad."

WHat does it have to do with this issue?

His mocking of M.J.Fox who suffers from Parkingson's."

It's "Parkinson's".

And he did not mock MJF. He merely pointed out that MJF was using his illness for political purposes.

"That was very mean and nasty."

That's funny. I thought he treated his guests (callers) with respect. He only raised his voice at one mushbrain that I can recall, and that was out of frustration due to the individual's failure to understand anything that didn't come from Democrats, moveon or MM.

"His remarks about any uniformed military person are lame."

Are you including Jesse MacBeth? Is he a soldier you respect?

"Every Vet has respect for another Vet."

Not true. Veterans are not robots. I was in for over 20 years and I met some vets that I had to ask to leave my army. But those are few and far between.

"Fat a$$ should remember this truth. A non Vet is a phony soilder."

It's "soldier".

Not true. Only non-vets who claim to be vets are phony soldiers.

"Save the raw recruit's and presently serving uniformed militay persons."

It's "military".

And, wrong again. They are "vets" as well. Unless they wash out before 6 months.

"The EIB network loves phony soilders like Dick and W and 89% of the so called Conservative's of any note worthy spew.

Dick who? Durbin? Is he a phony soldier?

"W" is the CnC. I recall the draft-dodger, President William J Clinton, claiming he was a soldier because of his CnC status to try and deprive an average US Citizen of her day in court. (Man that guy is evil).

"Posted by: Joe Piker"

You chose you handle wisely, my friend.