Rush Hudson Limbaugh III, popularly known as Rush Limbaugh is a famous American radio personality, political commentator and author. He currently hosts his own talk show on ABC Radio Networks called ‘The Rush Limbaugh Show’ — the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United States.Limbaugh’s conservative views and strong criticism of liberal policies and politicians is extremely famous among his listeners.
Background
Famed political commentator Rush Limbaugh was born Rush Hudson Limbaugh III on January 12, 1951, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, into a highly regarded local family—including his paternal grandfather, Rush Hudson Limbaugh, who served as a U.S. ambassador to India under President Dwight D. Eisenhower; an uncle who served as a federal judge during Ronald Reagan's presidency; and a conservative father, Rush Hudson Limbaugh II, who worked as an attorney.
By the time he was 8 years old, Limbaugh had set his sights on a career in radio. His father, however, had a more stable career in mind for his son. "I said, 'Pop, I love this. I know I'm great at it. I'm gonna get even better,'" Limbaugh remembered. But Rush Limbaugh II remained opposed to his son's goal, and because of it, Rush soon was viewed as a rebel to the rest of the Limbaugh clan. "Perhaps if there was a black sheep in our family, it was me, because I never—I've never been a conformist," Limbaugh later said, adding, "I was hugely rebellious. I hated school because it's what everybody else had to do. I hated being locked up from the second grade on in a room. ...The guy on the radio's having fun ... he's not going to some room having to learn to paste."
Though Limbaugh's family frowned upon his aspirations for a career in radio, they didn't completely ignore his passion for broadcasting. At the age of 9, Limbaugh received a Remco Caravelle, a toy radio that could transmit on AM frequencies up to 500 feet away. "I would take this up to my bedroom and play records and play DJ ... to the house, and my mother and dad would sit down and listen to me. ...The quality was horrible, but I was on the radio," Limbaugh recalled. He went on to explain why he believed his family had a change of heart about his pursuits. "I had quit the Boy Scouts and the Cub Scouts. I was a quitter. ...This was the one thing I didn't quit, so they ... indulged it, because, 'At least he's showing he'll stick-to-it-tiveness.'"
Education
Limbaugh landed his first radio job when he was in high school; using the pseudonym "Rusty Sharpe," he worked as a deejay for the local station KGMO (co-owned by his father). Following high school, Limbaugh briefly attended Southeast Missouri State University; he dropped out in 1971, after one year of enrollment to pursue a career in radio. He had trouble keeping a position. He was fired from stations in Missouri and Pennsylvania for being too controversial as news commentator. "My whole family thought I was destined for failure," he later recalled.
After dropping out of college, Limbaugh moved to McKeesport, Pennsylvania. In 1972, he became a Top 40 music disc jockey on WIXZ, a small AM radio station that reached much of the Pittsburgh area. He started with an afternoon show and later did mornings, broadcasting under the name Jeff Christie. Limbaugh moved to Pittsburgh station KQV in 1973 as the evening disc jockey, succeeding Jim Quinn. He was fired in late-1974, when the station was sold to Taft Broadcasting. Limbaugh was reportedly told by management that he would never make it as on air talent, and should consider going into sales.Unable to find another job in local radio, Limbaugh moved back home to Cape Girardeau. He became a lifelong fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers from his time in the region.
For the rest of the decade Limbaugh took jobs at several radio stations, working in music radio, before settling in Kansas City. In 1979, he left radio and accepted a position as director of promotions with the Kansas City Royals baseball team.There he developed a close friendship with then-Royals star third baseman and future Hall of Famer George Brett; the two remain close friends.
Arter 5 years working in ticket sales for the Kansas City Royals, Limbaugh returned to radio in 1984 as a talk show host at KFBK in Sacramento, California, where he replaced Morton Downey, Jr. The repeal of the Fairness Doctrine—which had required that stations provide free air time for responses to any controversial opinions that were broadcast—by the FCC in 1987 meant stations could broadcast editorial commentary without having to present opposing views. Daniel Henninger wrote, in a Wall Street Journal editorial, "Ronald Reagan tore down this wall (the Fairness Doctrine) in 1987 ... and Rush Limbaugh was the first man to proclaim himself liberated from the East Germany of liberal media domination."
On August 1, 1988, after achieving success in Sacramento and drawing the attention of former ABC Radio President Edward McLaughlin, Limbaugh moved to New York City and began his national radio show. He debuted just weeks after the Democratic National Convention, and just weeks before the Republican National Convention. Limbaugh's radio home in New York City was the talk-formatted WABC, and this remains his flagship station (although Limbaugh now hosts his program from West Palm Beach).
In December 1990, journalist Lewis Grossberger wrote in The New York Times that Limbaugh had "more listeners than any other talk show host" and described Limbaugh's style as "bouncing between earnest lecturer and political vaudevillian". Limbaugh's rising popularity coincided with the Persian Gulf War, and his support for the war effort and his relentless ridicule of peace activists. The program gained more popularity and was moved to stations with larger audiences, eventually being broadcast on over 650 radio stations nationwide.
Limbaugh had publicized personal difficulties in the 2000s. In late 2001, he acknowledged that he had gone almost completely deaf, although he continued his show. He was able to regain much of his hearing with the help of a cochlear implant in 2001.
In 2003, Limbaugh had a brief stint as a pro football commentator with ESPN. He resigned a few weeks into the 2003 NFL season after making comments about the press coverage for quarterback Donovan McNabb that caused controversy and accusations of racism on the part of Limbaugh. His comment about McNabb was: "I don't think he's been that good from the get-go. I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. I think the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. They're interested in black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well. I think there's a little hope invested in McNabb and he got a lot of credit for the performance of his team that he really didn't deserve. The defense carried this team."For example, a sportswriter construed the comment as racist against himself and other sportswriters. Another sports analyst wrote Limbaugh's viewpoint was shared by "many football fans and analysts" and "it is ... absurd to say that the sports media haven't overrated Donovan McNabb because he's black."
In 2003, Limbaugh stated that he was addicted to pain medication, and sought treatment. In April 2006, Limbaugh turned himself in to authorities, on a warrant issued by the state attorney's office, and was arrested "on a single charge of prescription fraud". His record was later expunged.
Achievements
Works
book
The Way Things Ought To Be
See, I Told You So
Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims
Rush Revere and the First Patriots
Rush Revere and the American Revolution
publication
The Limbaugh Letter
Talk show
The Rush Limbaugh Show
Religion
Limbaugh was raised and considers himself a Methodis. Limbaugh considers himself a spokesperson for America’s religious right, evangelizing the merits of “conservative, family values.”
Politics
In his first New York Times best seller, Limbaugh describes himself as conservative, and is critical of broadcasters in many media outlets for claiming to be objective.
In 1992, Democrat Bill Clinton was elected president of the United States. Limbaugh satirized the policies of Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, as well as those of the Democratic Party. When the Republican Party won control of Congress in the 1994 midterm elections, the freshman Republican class awarded Limbaugh an honorary membership in their caucus. This event confirmed him as an influential figure on the national political scene.
Limbaugh exerted great influence among many Republicans. In 1994 he was credited with helping the Republican Party win control of both houses of Congress, and four years later he was a key figure in the efforts to impeach Pres. Bill Clinton. He was a major supporter of the administration of Pres. George W. Bush (2001–09), and in 2009 Limbaugh helped galvanize Republican opposition to a stimulus package proposed by Pres. Barack Obama and the Democrats. In 2008 he signed an eight-year deal worth some $400 million to remain on the radio.
He has criticized political centrists, independents, and moderate conservatives, claiming they are responsible for Democrat Barack Obama's victory over Republican John McCain in the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election and inviting them to leave the Republican party. He calls for the adoption of core conservative philosophies in order to ensure the survival of the Republican party.
Views
Limbaugh backs conservative causes without any exceptions -- he supports capital punishment, opposes abortion, claims that global warming is a lie, etc.
Limbaugh supports capital punishment, saying "the only thing cruel about the death penalty is last-minute stays."
Limbaugh has been an outspoken critic of what he sees as leniency towards criminal drug use in America. On his television show in October 5, 1995, Limbaugh stated, "too many whites are getting away with drug use" and illegal drug trafficking. Limbaugh proposed that the racial disparity in drug enforcement could be fixed if authorities increased detection efforts, conviction rates, and jail time for whites involved in illegal drugs.
Limbaugh is critical of feminism, saying that: "Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream of society."He also popularized the term "feminazi", referring to about two dozen feminists "to whom the most important thing in life is ensuring that as many abortions as possible occur." He credited his friend Tom Hazlett, a professor of law and economics at George Mason University, with coining the term.
Quotations:
"You know why there's a Second Amendment? In case the government fails to follow the first one."
"Militant feminists are pro-choice because it's their ultimate avenue of power over men. And believe me, to them it is a question of power. It is their attempt to impose their will on the rest of society, particularly on men."
"All of these rich guys -- like the Kennedy family and Perot -- pretending to live just like we do and pretending to understand our trials and tribulations and pretending to represent us."
''Obamacare is not about improved health care or cheaper insurance or better treatment or insuring the uninsured, and it never has been about that. It's about statism. It's about expanding the government. It's about control over the population. It is about everything but health care.''
''Self-reliance - that's a dirty word to Democrats. They want people to believe that self-reliance means you don't do anything with anybody. They don't want it thought of as accepting responsibility for one's life. Enterprise. Imagination. Independence. Entrepreneurism.''
''When you talk about change, you know what makes it really tough for people is on the one hand you've got tradition, and on the other hand you've got change; in many people's mind, change equals modernization. Tradition, however. I'm a big tradition guy.''
''The American dream has now morphed into an expectation. And if it isn't provided, or if it doesn't happen, then people feel cheated.''
''Liberals are some of the most arrogant, condescending smart alecks, but they're just pure ignorant, and they fit the bill of people who have no love and no respect for the founding of this country.''
''Real prosperity comes from everybody in the country working together in a growth mode. Real prosperity comes as a result of people's own initiative and efforts and so forth. Prosperity, if it comes from the government, is not prosperity. It's an existence or a subsistence or whatever, but it isn't prosperity.''
"If you believe in God, then intellectually you cannot believe in man-made global warming. You must be agnostic or atheistic to believe that man controls something he can't create. It’s always been one of the reasons for my anti man-made global warming stance."
Personality
Quotes from others about the person
Charles Brown:
''Rush is by far the most articulate, defining voice of conservatism in America today, the most articulate voice of raging conservatism in the country. Rush is a powerful voice. I would argue that Rush is the leader of the conservative movement in the country.''
Heather Higgins:
''We have no intention of prosecuting Rush Limbaugh because lying through your teeth and being stupid isn't a crime.''
Leo Jennings:
''What Limbaugh clearly has become over the last two or three years is something of an icon to millions of conservative listeners around the country. I think it would be too easy to dismiss him as being irrelevant to the shaping of opinion in this country today. He's very smart. He does his homework. He is well-informed. And you ignore him at your peril.''
Ted Koppel:
''What's so special about Rush? Besides his remarkable talent and the fact that Rush not only shared political principles with WFB, but Rush also has his graciousness and humility?''
Keith Olbermann:
''You know, if you played a drinking game where you did a shot every time Rush Limbaugh attacked someone for being elite, you'd almost be as wasted as Rush Limbaugh.''
Mark P. Mays:
''Through the ups and downs of two decades, his message — always delivered with optimism, civility, and good humor — has been faithful to two core convictions: the power of freedom and the power of American exceptionalism.''
Barbara Gettinger Stewart:
''Rush is not only honorable, but he is intellectually consistent. I have been listening to him for over 20 years and the only thing I see that is different is his tone. Right now he is a bit despondent over the goings on in our country, but the basic message and his principles have not budged an inch.
Those of you who just hate him on principle should spend a few weeks listening to his show. Just listen and then make a determination as to whether you think he is honorable or not. By saying he is not honorable, you have insulted half of the American population who agrees with Rush. You will be amazed how much of what he says you agree with.''
In 2002, Talkers Magazine ranked him as the greatest radio talk show host of all time.
On January 5, 2008, the conservative magazine Human Events announced Limbaugh as their 2007 Man of the Year.
Awards
Marconi Radio Award,
USA
Limbaugh was awarded the Marconi Radio Award for Syndicated Radio Personality of the Year in 2014 (given by the National Association of Broadcasters).He has won the award four times previously (in 1992, 1995, 2000, and 2005)
Limbaugh was awarded the Marconi Radio Award for Syndicated Radio Personality of the Year in 2014 (given by the National Association of Broadcasters).He has won the award four times previously (in 1992, 1995, 2000, and 2005)
Defender of the Constitution Award,
USA
On February 28, 2009, following his self-described "first address to the Nation" lasting 90 minutes, carried live on CNN and Fox News and recorded for C-SPAN, Limbaugh received CPAC's "Defender of the Constitution Award", a document originally signed by Benjamin Franklin, given to someone "who has stood up for the First Amendment ... Rush Limbaugh is for America, exactly what Benjamin Franklin did for the Founding Fathers ... the only way we will be successful is if we listen to Rush Limbaugh"
On February 28, 2009, following his self-described "first address to the Nation" lasting 90 minutes, carried live on CNN and Fox News and recorded for C-SPAN, Limbaugh received CPAC's "Defender of the Constitution Award", a document originally signed by Benjamin Franklin, given to someone "who has stood up for the First Amendment ... Rush Limbaugh is for America, exactly what Benjamin Franklin did for the Founding Fathers ... the only way we will be successful is if we listen to Rush Limbaugh"
Author of the Year Award,
USA
2013
For his first children's book titled Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims: Time-Travel with Exceptional Americans.
2013
For his first children's book titled Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims: Time-Travel with Exceptional Americans.
Children's Choice Book Awards
2014
For the book Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims: Time-Travel with Exceptional Americans.
2014
For the book Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims: Time-Travel with Exceptional Americans.