U.S. conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh has died: Fox News

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U.S. conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh has died: Fox News

 

FILE PHOTO: Rush Limbaugh gives an introductory speech before U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. December 21, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Provocative and polarizing U.S. talk radio luminary Rush Limbaugh, a leading voice on the American political right since the 1980s who boosted, and was honored by, former President Donald Trump, has died at age 70 after suffering from lung cancer, Fox News reported on Wednesday.

 

Limbaugh, who pioneered the American media phenomenon of conservative talk radio and became an enthusiastic combatant in the U.S. culture wars, had announced in February 2020 that he had been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer.

 

Limbaugh's appeal and the success of his top-rated radio show arose from his brash and colorful style, his delight in baiting liberals and Democrats and his promotion of conservative and Republican causes and politicians. His radio show became nationally syndicated in 1988 and quickly built a large and committed following, making him wealthy in the process.

 

Trump, a former reality TV personality with a showman's instincts who pursued right-wing populism during four years in the White House, awarded Limbaugh the highest U.S. civilian honor - the Presidential Medal of Freedom - during his 2020 State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress.

 

First lady Melania Trump placed the medal around his neck after her husband lauded Limbaugh as "a special man beloved by millions of Americans" and "the greatest fighter and winner that you will ever meet." Illustrating Limbaugh's divisiveness, some Democratic lawmakers were heard groaning "oh no" while House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi - one of his favorite punching bags - sat in stony silence.

 

Trump honored Limbaugh a day after the radio star announced his cancer diagnosis. Limbaugh at the time said he planned to continue to do his program "as normally and as competently" as he could while he underwent treatment.

 

Limbaugh had experienced a variety of medical problems over the years, including a loss of hearing reversed by a cochlear implant, as well as an addiction to prescription painkillers that landed him in rehab in 2003.

 

Limbaugh espoused an unflinchingly populist brand of conservatism during a daily show broadcast on more than 600 radio stations across the United States. He railed against left-wing causes from global warming to healthcare reform as he helped shape the Republican Party's agenda in the media and mobilize its grass-roots supporters.

 

He ridiculed mainstream news outlets and relished the controversies often sparked by his on-air commentary. Detractors like liberal former Senator Al Franken - a former comedian who wrote a book titled "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations" - criticized him as a divisive figure who distorted facts.

 

Still, Limbaugh's success helped spawn a new class of right-wing pundits on radio, television and the internet, among them Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck and Alex Jones.

 

Limbaugh called his followers "ditto heads." He coined the term "femi-Nazis" to disparage women's rights activists. Limbaugh in 2012 called a law student who spoke to a congressional hearing about birth control a "slut," causing some sponsors to pull their advertising from his show.

 

(Reporting by Will Dunham and Lisa Lambert; Editing by Howard Goller)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-02-18

 

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[Kelsall]

RIP Rush.

[EVENKEEL]

Spent alot of time driving in Ca. listening to Rush L.  

[PatOngo]

Well would'nt that bring a tear to a glass eye! Some may miss him, many won't!

[Tug]

The author of much of the divisive politics we have today I for one won’t miss him I listened to him as well I wasent impressed............

[KhunG]

RIP Rush.

[Jeffr2]

I use to really like Rush. Then he lost the plot. Conservative media outlets like his are destroying America.

[vandeventer]

RIP Rush You will always be missed by many. God keep you safe Rush!!!

[placeholder]

14 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

RIP Rush You will always be missed by many. God keep you safe Rush!!!

From what? Feminazis?

Edited February 18, 2021 by placeholder

[sirineou]

Good riddance. I hope he packed summer cloths  'cause where he is going would be very hot.

[KarenBravo]

32 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

RIP Rush You will always be missed by many. God keep you safe Rush!!!

 

God? Nah.

He's gone where all hate-mongers go. To visit Old Nick.

[malibukid]

RIH, Rush

[Jeffr2]

America is better off without people like this. Sad some actually liked him.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/17/business/media/rush-limbaugh-dead.html?campaign_id=56&emc=edit_cn_20210218&instance_id=27224&nl=on-politics-with-lisa-lerer&regi_id=80027960&segment_id=51849&te=1&user_id=1298cdda864738dcf5f5cb52747197da

 

Rush Limbaugh Dies at 70; Turned Talk Radio Into a Right-Wing Attack Machine

 

With a following of 15 million and a divisive style of mockery, grievance and denigrating language, he was a force in reshaping American conservatism.

[thailand49]

Such hate, it was just an opinion if you don't believe just turn it off there are plenty more like him on radio and T.V. on BOTH SIDES!

[JonnyF]

RIP Rush. 

 

While many would not agree with all his views, he certainly had the balls to say what he thought and in the current PC/Woke constantly offended 'cancel culture' climate that was very refreshing. Long live freedom of speech.

[herfiehandbag]

Sounds like a delightful fellow!

[donnacha]

He dedicated his life to trying to warn Americans, using deeply coded language, that a hidden army of vampires was gathering to subvert American democracy.

Oh, America, if only you had listened!
 

Edited February 18, 2021 by donnacha

[placeholder]

6 minutes ago, donnacha said:

He dedicated his life to trying to warn Americans, using deeply coded language, that a hidden army of vampires was gathering to subvert American democracy.

 

Are these the same parties as the blood drinking Democratic pedophiles Qanon is warning us against?

[reptile91602]

Good riddance!

[EVENKEEL]

Why is Conservative talk radio so popular? I only ever listened to one liberal station out of the Bay Area, but way more conservative radio celebrities in Ca.

[placeholder]

2 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Why is Conservative talk radio so popular? I only ever listened to one liberal station out of the Bay Area, but way more conservative radio celebrities in Ca.

Beloved by old white people.

Rush Limbaugh is Ailing. And So is the Conservative Talk-Radio Industry.

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/rush-limbaugh-is-ailing-and-so-is-the-conservative-talk-radio-industry,186037

[donnacha]

1 minute ago, EVENKEEL said:

Why is Conservative talk radio so popular?

It is simply far more entertaining.

For a start, they are still allowed to make jokes.

Nothing is more humorless than a left-winger desperate to signal their virtue.

 

[placeholder]

Just now, donnacha said:

It is simply far more entertaining.

For a start, they are still allowed to make jokes.

Nothing is more humorless than a left-winger desperate to signal their virtue.

 

Not only that, it's far more entertaining on TV as well, Just consider the right wingers like Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, Trevor Noah and all those right wing comedians who dominate the stand-up world.

[mtls2005]

I'd like to think the world will be a better place without his vitriol, racism, sexism, misogyny but there are a hundred like him chomping at the bit to enrage their embittered audience, and earn tens of millions of dollars each year.

 

He lasted a few weeks at ESPN before the racism leaked out...

 

 

[ChakaKhan]

3 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Spent alot of time driving in Ca. listening to Rush L.  

The Duality....listening to "Rush" in "Ca"....

[EVENKEEL]

Just now, mtls2005 said:

I'd like to think the world will be a better place without his vitriol, racism, sexism, misogyny but there are a hundred like him chomping at the bit to enrage their embittered audience, and earn tens of millions of dollars each year.

 

He lasted a few weeks at ESPN before the racism leaked out...

 

 

You're getting desperate going back this far ahahaaaa 

[spidermike007]

Limbaugh, guys like Beck, Hannity, Carlson, and many others have greatly reduced the culture of America, made it an uglier and far more divided place than ever before, and are true examples that hate sells. 

[donnacha]

4 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Not only that, it's far more entertaining on TV as well, Just consider the right wingers like Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, Trevor Noah and all those right wing comedians who dominate the stand-up world.

All of the people you mentioned are on television, not radio, and none of them are funny. Their whole schtick was repeatedly making the same predictable jokes about George W. Bush, then going oddly quiet during Obama, then going into turbo-mode during Trump. Boy, they're going to miss him.

Television involves lots of money and is, therefore, easily pressured into sticking rigidly to the establishment line. Just look at how many people are now getting canceled for expressing thoughts that would not have raised any eyebrows just a few years ago. That is not a healthy recipe for creativity.

Radio and podcasts have far more freedom, but actually need to be entertaining to retain an audience.

 

[pseudorabies]

Rush and the people who followed have succeeded in making the US weaker.  A convicted drug addict who never got the same heartless "Lock 'em up!!!" incarceration he advocated for others.

 

[mtls2005]

1 minute ago, EVENKEEL said:

You're getting desperate going back this far ahahaaaa 

 

Your tacit agreement that he's been a racist for years is welcome.

 

Thank you.

 

 

I simply chose a point in time which I though resonated for many. He revealed his true nature.

 

Queue up Rush's paradoy of "Barrack the Magic Negro"?