The participation of radio entertainer Rush Limbaugh in a partnership interested in buying a stake in the NFL St. Louis Rams has caused a media firestorm this past week. As part of that, Rush has been called out for his past statements, characterized by some as racist. Of course there is his past criticism of Eagles QB Donovan McNabb as an overrated media darling who the media wished to succeed based on race, an opinion that I happen to disagree with, a characterization which got him summarily fired from his ESPN prime-time commentary gig. But what should concern even the most disinterested parties are the oft repeated, but as yet still unsourced, alleged Limbaugh quotes involving James Earl Ray, the institution of slavery, and today’s newest talking points involving his membership at an exclusive Florida country club.
These fabricated quotes were introduced into the zeitgeist by talking heads, of course, at MSNBC and CNN, putting Rush in the unenviable position of having to prove a negative. And sensing an opening, professional race-hustler Al Sharpton, armed with extorted corporate cash from his National Action Network, quickly joined the battle. Now, following Dave Checketts’ letter removing Limbaugh as a member of the proposed ownership group, the Reverend Al is declaring Victory! over his long-time nemesis. But were the racialist assertions of a grievance pimp, and the ensuing posturing pandering palaver of other owners as well as the NFL commissioner himself, the prime force in this action?
Or, could it have something to do with billionaire George Soros reported involvement or desire to be involved in the Rams ownership group. It is unclear whether the shadowy Soros has been involved all along, or has recently expressed interest. But, while much more low key than Rush, Soros is no less controversial or polarizing a figure. So while many of the usual suspects on the “proggy side of the street†may be celebrating the put down of their long time foe, their resort to both an essentially ideological disqualification as well as the nuclear option of invoking racism may well mean that their Patron, Mr. Soros, may have to be scotched as well lest the obvious double standard soil the entire brand.
The bottom line on all of this is that if the league is going to rely on alleged statements to disqualify a person from owning an NFL franchise, they ought to at least make sure that those egregious remarks were actually made! And they need to use independent investigators, because as with the Breitbart/Acorn sting, this episode has gone a step further in exposing the inherent bias of the legacy media as well as their willingness to propagate naked hearsay in order to advance the desired narrative. As Toby Harnden put it:
The irony is, of course, that the people reporting this as fact are the same types who are always denouncing bloggers and the internet as forces of evil intent on destroying proper journalism – proper journalism being the kind that involves checking facts. In the case of Rush Limbaugh, however, it seems to be enough that the intention (i.e. to show the talk radio host is a racist) is considered pure.
[emphasis-ed.]
Especially vile is CNN’s Sanchez’s repeating of the unfounded rumor after receiving a free ride from the press for his own sin of running over a pedestrian while driving drunk, and then leaving the scene of the accident. But all that aside, it’s OK to dislike Rush the entertainer for the things he actually says, after all, I’m sure he provides so much material on his daily 3 hour show that there’s no need for his ideological opponents, bent on once more making the political-personal, to make anything up; in their zeal to attach to him the most toxic, and lately the most recklessly applied, label there is in America…
UPDATE: The long walkback has begun. HuffPo removed the phony quotations after only 3 years and 3 months; I’m glad their editors were so thorough. And that twit Sanchez has twittered, “our bad”, as a backhanded apology for the whole affair. It doesn’t matter anyway, their work is done; Limbaugh’s chance at part ownership of an NFL franchise has been thwarted…
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
It’s called being held accountable for your words, Bob.
Your cowardly characterization of George Soros is just that.
George Soros’s Open Society Institute is too much reality for you to handle. I saw the good he did in Moscow when he built a fiber optic loop there. Bigoted cowards like you did nothing. And when the Russians ripped Soros off, you know what he did to get even, Bob, he kept doing what he was doing. Bridging our countries and bringing Russia into modern Europe’s fold.
Men like Soros defeated the Soviet Union, not Reagan.
Fact.
Feel the burn.
Soros may have done some good in Russia, I can’t say firsthand so I won’t dispute you. But all he has ever done inthe west was to profit handsomely off the near destruction of the Bank of England, and I’m sure has profited off of the recent decline of the US dollar as well as in the stock market.
And all I can see that benefit from him here are all of the progressive political arms he’s established in his wish to transform the nation into some Marxist workers paradise-with room for some Oligarchs at the top like himself of course. I don’t understand why he ever ;eft Russia, it sounds a lot closer to what he wants. But I guess they didn’t recognize how awesomely awsome he was and put him in control, eh?
Soros didn’t defeat the Soviet Union, he probably profited off of it somehow. And unless you can prove otherwisem show me evidence of your assertion, then it’s just words…
Soros is along the lines of that blowhard Michael Moore. They both decry the eeeevoll capitalist system that has made them rich, and long for a more centrally controlled one, where of course smart guys like them and Obama would be pulling the levers of power.
I don’t even listen to Limbaugh, but if he’s going tobe held to his words, then guys like Moore and Soros should too, and Soros should be held account for his deeds also.
If you’re going to lecture, provide some evidence, otherwise you can stop gettin’ the vapors over my “cowardly characterization”…
George Soros is a very smart person, you’re not.
A lot of Russians are very smart, you’re not.
I’ve already posted, in great detail I might add, how most Russophiles believe the Soviet Union actually collapsed. Look it up, read, don’t beg me for another copy. Clue: it’s complicated, but in a nutshell all was lost when the population lost faith in their governemnt to tell the truth. Afghanistan was the last straw, just so you know.
Russians have/had it hard, unlike you, softy, especially many in the military. Don’t go to Russia. They’ll beat the crap out of you in a game of chess and with their fists, and that’s why I like the place.
“Sharp and bright as a slaughterhouse knife.” Genet
So you can’t provide evidence that Soros is a “good man”…
I don’t recall any of your detailed explanations nor would begin to know where to look them up; and I’m not begging…
The Russians have my healthy, but skeptical, respect-that of a worthy adversary. And that’s how it will stay until they quit pussyfooting around behind that gangster Putin, and figure our that their best lot lie in an alliance with the US and NATO against China…
No more shenanigans, no cloak-and-dagger, just a straight-up alliance. That should be able to satisfy the Russians legendary, and seemingly genetic, paranoia that just over the hill lies the next invading horde…
We’re not that horde…It’s coming from the east, just like the great Khan did those many years ago…
Adversary? You’re no adversary to Russians, they’d carve you up quicker than a rib roast. You’re nothing to them. You think them to be America’s (note the change of voice) adversary because they refuse to play the role of mascot during your cheerleader’s pom-pom drill.
It’s a sick Reagan-delusion-fantasy you’re stuck in, Sir.
Russians would opt to shit in a clean bathroom, they love their kids and wish them to grow up tall and smart, same as we, ya shameless goofer, and that’s what Soros knew and invested in, again, while cowards like you did nothing.
If you’ll let the Russians and Venezuelans work out their own political fate without your bigoted barkings and master puppeteer fantasy harking, I think you’ll like the outcome.
They basically want what we want, speaking of Venezuelans and Russians, the we is the majority of sane Americans, naturally, not sure if that means you or not.
Hey, if you really want to end up on the losing side of a Russian bayonet, please let me know when you’ll be flying to Moscow with your bullhorn so as to march down Tverskaya announcing your America-as-Almight-God B.S.. I want some pictures of that.
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Russia’s nightmare headline: “Renewed fighting on the German-Chinese border”.
Jesse Jackson speaks out on limbaugh’s attempt to buy NFL team.
Me and Al Sharpton
our arms we will lock
For limbaugh
Buying the Rams we must block
For his evil plans
We’re not falling
he was one of the ones
Who attacked Brawley
He’ll buy the contract
of Terrell Owens
just so he can say
a black man I am own-in
his having an NFL team
Would be a disaster
he just wants black players
to call him masser
Own the Rams
Well if he could
He’d try to replace their helmets
with hoods
.
thor, I’ll say it plainly. The Russians need to stop meddling in South America. There’s this thing called the Monroe doctrine, and although Obama won’t enforce it, perhaps the next President will.
I don’t believe that Chavez should have nuclear power, for like Iran he’ll surely reach for the brass ring of nuclear weapons. And, I don’t like the idea of Russian miltary units, particularly bombers and strategic naval units there either. Chavez has no need for the kind of front-line equipment that he’s talking about purchasing, while the plain folks suffer of course, and our CIA should do all it can to sabotage or otherwise destroy any he buys.
The Russians have demonstrated their willingness to roll over other nations simply for territorial annexation. Most recently in Georgia. And for all the equivalence you will try to draw, I’m sure, we do not keep the territory we capture in war but give it back to governments formed by the people of that country. Hell, we rebuild the places! And that moral sureriority gives us the right to tell them to stay out of this hemisphere, regardless of where US service personell are engaged…
And you want to know a dirty little secret thor? The Russians are relieved that we’re kicking ass and taking names in Afghanistan, and so are the Chinese. Because every Islamo-fascist we take out is one they won’t have to face…
You see, the Russians have problems with Islamo-nazi’s too thor. There are regions of Chechneya that the Russian army won’t even go into! And they are biting their nails wondering if they can keep things calm in the other ’stans north of Afghanistan. Why do you think they can’t play ball on Iranian sanction. Not only are they enjoying the brisk yard sale of nuclear and military technology, but they fear the Quds fanatics moving into the countries along their southern border and are happy for us to at once be the target of the Islamists rage as well as fight them on their behalf-kind if by proxy…
Oh, and in case you missed it, AQ just opened up a new Jihadi front in China on behalf of the oppressed Uhigars.