Senate Democratic Leaders Demands Apology For Limbaugh’s ‘Outrageous,’ ‘Unconscionable’ Remarks

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/28/senate-dems-limbaugh-letter/

Senate Democratic Leaders Demands Apology For Limbaugh’s ‘Outrageous,’ ‘Unconscionable’ Remarks

ThinkProgress has obtained a letter being circulated on Capitol Hill today by the Senate Democratic Leadership that calls on Clear Channel CEO Mark Mays to repudiate its employee Rush Limbaugh’s “phony troops” remark. Clear Channel is Limbaugh’s parent company, and it owns or operates at least 1,165 radio stations in the United States.

The letter, signed by Sens. Harry Reid (D-NV, Dick Durbin (D-IL), Charles Schumer (D-NY), and Patty Murray (D-WA), states that Limbaugh’s comments were “outrageous” and “unconscionable”:

Although Americans of goodwill debate the merits of this war, we can all agree that those who serve with such great courage deserve our deepest respect and gratitude. That is why Rush Limbaugh’s recent characterization of troops who oppose the war as “phony soldiers” is such an outrage.

Our troops are fighting and dying to bring to others the freedoms that many take for granted. It is unconscionable that Mr. Limbaugh would criticize them for exercising the fundamentally American right to free speech. Mr. Limbaugh has made outrageous remarks before, but this affront to our soldiers is beyond the pale.

Yesterday, ThinkProgress asked whether lawmakers who voted to attack a MoveOn newspaper ad would now condemn Limbaugh. The Senate leadership is challenging all their colleagues to demonstrate whether they can show principled condemnation by signing onto the letter. It specifically calls on Clear Channel to issue an apology and demands Limbaugh do the same:

Thousands of active troops and veterans were subjected to Mr. Limbaugh’s unpatriotic and indefensible comments on your broadcast. We trust you will agree that not a single one of our sons, daughters, neighbors and friends serving overseas is a “phony soldier.” We call on you to publicly repudiate these comments that call into question their service and sacrifice and to ask Mr. Limbaugh to apologize for his comments.

Read the full letter here. Call your Senators and ask them to sign on.
http://thinkprogress.org/reid-limbaugh-letter/

UPDATE: More smears against the military by Limbaugh. Huff Post notes that he called Iraq war vet Paul Hackett a “staff puke,” claiming he went to Iraq “to pad (his) resume,” and attacked him as “a liberal hiding behind a military uniform.”

[Astrad]

1. Two wrongs don't make a right

If it was wrong to censure moveon.org, it's wrong to censure Limbaugh. Free speech is going to end up being a curio in a musuem.

[rainy]

3. However, If you don't point out their hipocracy and rub their face in it

they keep winning the words war. The media picked up on the Moveon ad because of the fake outrage. Now, I believe that everyone will understand that the Democrats are making a point and are not really trying to silence Rush. On the otherhand the Repubs goal is to silence the left.

[TankLV]

17. We have a winner!!!! Someone who understands...

It's sad that too many will not...

[movonne]

4. But I say if they censure one then it is only right to do it to the other..and

then forget it...but the dems went right along with it and we should show that we demand the same should go for their hacks...I think the Move on ad was not as bad as what Limpballs had to say. He should not have a voice going to the military..

[sandnsea]

5. Since Dems DID criticize Moveon

they get to criticize Limbaugh.

Don't forget, it was the Republicans who brought the censure to the floor.

[Old and In the Way]

7. Free speech is a 2 way street.

Since the republicans were cynical enough to use this against the Democrats, we need to return the favor. Force the Republicans to vote for or against the measure. Put them in a no-win situation, just like they did to Democrats in Congress. I'm sick of being the Party of civility and fairness when time and again we get it crammed up our backsides by the criminal party in Congress.

[spanone]

13. absolutely, why aren't the dems associating rudy, or mitt, or john with the remarks?

[FiveGoodMen]

19. Disagree with the framing

No one's losing their right to free speech (in this instance).

One group used it's free speech to denounce a general and the Senate and House have used theirs to denounce the denouncement.

Rush used his free speech to say something on the radio and some Dems are using theirs to denounce that.

Everyone is speaking freely.

What's being ignored is: who's telling the truth and who's lying? That's the real point here.

[Astrad]

21. The problem as I see it

is that this can't go anywhere good. I agree that it's great to call them on their hypocrisy which knows no bounds. But I fear we'll see a gradual chilling of speech. They'll hit back on some remark that some 'progressive' made and we'll have an escalating war leading to the worst kind of political correctness. And although no one is losing their right to speech, censuring speech certainly has a chilling effect.

[FiveGoodMen]

23. I think the left has been too polite for too long.

We've given the undecideds the impression that we didn't have any answers when folks like Rush just made shit up. We lost millions of hearts and minds because we were unwilling to fight back.

I think that's how the left has gotten so far behind.

In other (freely spoken) words: I say we tell the motherfuckers to screw themselves -- I say we tell them that loud and often.

[Ikonoklast]

25. Getting hit in the face repeatedly with a brick

And doing nothing but saying, "We won't stoop to your level" only proves to many Americans what the 'Puke Party says all along, "See, we've been telling you that Democrats are spineless. They won't even respond when we shit all over them! What a bunch of cowards!"

That is the reason right-wing hate radio is successful. No one likes to be associated with a bunch of wimps. Limbaugh is their agent and as such needs to be held accountable for the mindless drivel that he spews on behalf of his masters.

Democrats that just want to be punching bags for the lunatic right wing do no service to the party by being passive.

Sometimes, you have to make a stand.
Sometimes, you have to swing back with all your might.
Sometimes, you have to kick them when they are down to keep the real stupid ones from getting back up.
Sometimes, people will start to leave you alone if they know that you WON'T BE FUCKED WITH.

[frazzled]

2. Why not a "sense of the Senate" resolution?

A spoonful of medicine, and all that.

[ellacott]

10. That's what they should do n/t

[BOSSHOG]

6. I was a staff puke who padded my resume by doing a tour in a combat zone

Obviously limbaugh doesn't know jack about the military. If you stay you will seek out staff billets and combat zone billets and attempt every echelon possible.

Funny. what has limbaugh done to pad his resume?

Oh and I am a liberal hiding behind a military uniform as well. did it for 20+ years.

What a sad pathetic cretin he is. Home alone in his mansion, no friends, just synophants. He and his bottle of viagra and thoughts of trips to the dominican republic.

[Old and In the Way]

9. Amen, BOSSHOG!

Mr. Excellence in Broadcasting has pissed off 72% of the soldiers in Iraq, calling them "phonies". He stepped in it big time. It takes a lot of chutzpah for a guy who evaded his call to duty by hiding behind an ass pimple to morph into a war cheerleader that can call combat soldiers phonies. He's done a great job of confirming the real Republican view of what it means to "support the soldiers".

[BOSSHOG]

12. Padding one's resume

is what one should do. You can work overtime to get easy gigs and cush duty or you can round things out, different types of duty and staff duty is a plus (at least in the Navy.)

limbaugh is an idiot who obviously has run out of ammo. Yeah, we support the troops as long as they tow the line.

[madinmaryland]

24. Limbaugh is familiar with padding!

It took lots of pork chops and bacon to get where he is!!1!!

:rofl:

[Uncle Joe]

8. I'm happy to hear this.

Thanks for the thread babylonsister.

Kicked and recommended.

[spanone]

11. maybe they'll take a day out of their busy schedules to censor the little prick

i doubt it, that only applies to the be-tray-us crowd

[provis99]

14. why do they even bother

MoveOn gets official US Congressional condemnation, but Limbaugh gets a "naughty boy" letter, that ThinkProgress had to look for (it obviously wasn't even intended for public release). How do we impeach Reid, Schumer and Murray for pointless political pandering, because thats all it is.

[State the Obvious]

15. Ask every Republican in Congress if they support our troops?.....and then ask "Do you support...

removing Rush Limbaugh from the Armed Forces Radio network?

And do NOT let them wiggle out of making a response.....their stand MUST be on record!

Others agree...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1932376

(ONLY demanding an apology allows the Republicans to remain under "one umbrella". I want to hear EACH ONE of them make a personal response.)

[State the Obvious]

16. This is the correct link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x310572#310582

[Beelzebud]

18. So the senate can now find nothing better to do than condemn free speech...

END THE WAR

Rush Limbaugh may be a fucking idiot, and his statements may be downright offensive, he has a right to say it.

The fucking Senate has no business condemning free speech they don't agree with. Don't they have important things to do?

END THE WAR

[ProSense]

20. And people have the right to condemn them for saying it!

Free speech!

They need to kick his ass of tax-payer funded radio.

[Disturbed]

22. Armed Forces Radio Network is Taxpayer Funded.

Demand that Rush Limbaugh be taken off the Armed Forces Radio Network, IMMEDIATELY!!!

[Johonny]

26. I don't get

How is an after the fact censure an attack on free speech? They didn't prevent moveon from saying what they wanted to say and they aren't preventing Rush from saying what he wants to say. They are simply saying they don't agree with that characterization. Seems like Congress can complain about what people say. I'd rather they spent 24/7 complaining about pointless crap like this so they never have time to pass any more money for the pointless war.