Long before Trump’s rise in politics, Limbaugh was pinning insulting names on his enemies and raging against the mainstream media, accusing it of feeding the public lies. Limbaugh took as a badge of honor the title “most dangerous man in America.” He said he was the “truth detector,” the “doctor of democracy,” a “lover of mankind,” a “harmless, lovable little fuzz ball” and an “all-around good guy.” He claimed he had “talent on loan from God.” “In my heart and soul, I know I have become the intellectual engine of the conservative movement,” Limbaugh, with typical immodesty, told author Zev Chafets in the 2010 book “Rush Limbaugh: An Army of One.” stations shaped the national political conversation, swaying ordinary Republicans and the direction of their party.īlessed with a made-for-broadcasting voice, he delivered his opinions with such certainty that his followers, or “Ditto-heads,” as he dubbed them, took his words as sacred truth.
He called himself an entertainer, but his rants during his three-hour weekday radio show broadcast on nearly 600 U.S. Unflinchingly conservative, wildly partisan, bombastically self-promoting and larger than life, Limbaugh galvanized listeners for more than 30 years with his talent for sarcastic, insult-laced commentary.
His death was announced on his show by his wife, Kathryn. Limbaugh said a year ago that he had lung cancer. He was also diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer that year, and he passed away on February 17th, 2021.Rush Limbaugh, the talk radio host who ripped into liberals and laid waste to political correctness with a gleeful malice that made him one of the most powerful voices in politics, influencing the rightward push of American conservatism and the rise of Donald Trump, died Wednesday. In 2020, he was awarded the Medal of Freedom. Rush Limbaugh received the prestigious Marconi Radio Award for Syndicated Radio Personality five times, he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1993, and he was also a member of the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Bush by Bill Clinton in 1992, former President Reagan sent a letter to Limbaugh thanking him for his support of conservative principles and calling him “the Number One voice for conservatism in our country.” In 1994, after achieving control of Congress for the first time in 40 years, several newly elected Republicans acknowledged Rush’s impact by calling themselves “the Dittohead caucus”.įollowing the defeat of George H.W. His success has spawned many imitators, some of whom got their starts by guest hosting on Rush’s program. But, after Rush Talk Radio is almost totally Conservative. Before Rush, Talk Radio, was a minor niche format which generally balanced conservative views with liberal ones. Limbaugh’s impact on radio and America has been huge. It has been said that Rush Limbaugh single-handedly saved AM radio. Soon he had more listeners than any other talk show host. In a Wall Street Journal editorial, Daniel Henninger wrote “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.”įollowing his success in Sacramento, Rush moved to New York City and began his national radio show on WABC.
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In 1987 President Reagan successfully, and over the objections of Congress, threw out the “Fairness Doctrine” which had required any station airing editorial comments to provide free time to the those with opposing views. It was President Ronald Reagan who ultimately gave Rush Limbaugh his “opportunity of a lifetime”. However, it wasn’t long before he decided to return to radio. During his time with Royals he developed a close friendship with George Brett. While in Kansas City, Rush left radio in 1979 to work for the Kansas City Royals as director of promotions.
One employer, Taft Broadcasting, told him that he would never make it as an air talent and advised him to consider a sales career. Like most people in radio, Rush worked in several markets and numerous stations over the years. He attended Southeast Missouri State University but dropped out after two semesters. His parents insisted that he go to college. He started in radio as a disc jockey on KGMO in Cape Girardeau while he was still in high school, using the on-air name of “Rusty Sharpe”. His father was a prominent attorney and his brother is an attorney. An uncle was appointed federal judge by Ronald Reagan and a cousin was appointed to the U.S. His grandfather was Ambassador to India during the Eisenhower administration. Rush Limbaugh was born in Cape Girardeau into a prominent Missouri family.
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