Wesley Clark: "Take Rush Limbaugh Off Armed Forces Radio!"
By John Amato Monday Oct 01, 2007 4:41pm
Wesley Clark wants Rush Limbaugh to get the boot on Armed Forces radio.
Last week, Rush Limbaugh labeled any American soldier who supports an end to the war in Iraq as "phony." We challenged Limbaugh through an email campaign to invite VoteVets.org's Jon Soltz to his show and repeat these same insults to an Iraq war veteran's face. Over 10,000 people responded and emailed Rush -- but to our disappointment, he has refused to respond to our request.
It's time to put real pressure on Rush Limbaugh. His show is broadcast on Armed Forces Radio, and this time we are going to go straight to the lifeblood of Rush's show -- Congress. Congress has the power to remove Rush Limbaugh from Armed Forces Radio, and it won't be as easy for elected officials to ignore our call...
Jane Hamsher says that Harry Reid got a bunch of signatures, but as you may have guessed: Joe Lieberman isn't one of them. That's supporting the troops---Mr.CT Blue America candidate Eric Massa, a veteran is coming out against Limbaugh too. Let's go people!
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someone slap that cigar out of his fat face
and then take care of these two:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qGwvSwOP7Ow
Sorry folks but Miss Nancy and Rahmit have everything under control...your input is neither needed nor desired. So....
Shut the Fuck Up!
Bah ..
Flush BOTH! Clark and Limpballs down the toilet.
I completely disagree.
He should be taken off the radio altogether. The dittoheads wouldn't know what to do (like my fat headed dad).
I honestly could not even dream to think of lifting a finger to chase the next "outrage"...
Give us a fucking BREAK!!
We have known that Rush Limpdick is a General Asshole for decades.. Fuck him.. he is not a target, as that is his goddamn fucking job.. to be a target for our outrage... as much as Rosie O'Donnel and Jane Fonda is a target for THEIR outrage..
I am not playing that game... None of you should...
We have enough to put all of these bastards in jail for the next 10-10,000 years.. Including WES CLARK...
THEY ARE NOT OUR LEADERS...
THEY ARE NOT TO BE LOOKED UP TO AND IDOLIZED!
YOU ARE!
NOW STEP UP TO THE PLATE....AND GET RID OF ALL THE CRIMINALS!
STOP CHASING YOUR TAILS!
StirFry @ 4:
I agree, but first things first.
But Rush is the defender of "Super Capitalism"
What would we do without Super Capitalism on the march across the globe?
I have not only written to both of my U.S. Senators and to my Congressperson, but
also sent an email to Barnes and Nobel(sponser/advertiser) and suggested that equal
treatment(condemnation) of Rush Limpbag, as was case w/MoveOn, seems only
appropriate.
If he would truly identify himself as a comedian or gossip, or have a disclaimer broadcast prior to his performance no one would mess with him. Media matters will eventually rid us of this scum and his imitators and I cannot wait. AM radio meant something in the old days, only important to no more than 3% of the population. AFR is FORCED to carry the comedian, not their perferred choice I am sure of. I served overseas in the 1980's and familiar with the AFR of that time, things have changed..
it's hilarious how the freepers keep insisting rush was taken out of context but they provide nothing to back it up. you know if he was taken out of context they would post the text and audio like the creepy freepers they are...over and over with big bold font with the audio cranked up as loud as possible...
Rduke @ 5:
You are so correct, I dont know what Wesley did though?
I.F. Stone: "The only kinds of fights worth fighting are those you are going to lose because somebody has to fight them and lose and lose and lose until someday, somebody who believes as you do wins. In order for somebody to win an important, major fight 100 years hence, a lot of other people have got to be willing -- for the sheer fun and joy of it -- to go right ahead and fight, knowing you're going to lose. You mustn't feel like a martyr. You've got to enjoy it."
Who decides what is broadcast over AFR? If it's any part or person of the repub party, he'll stay on.
fuck clark...he endorsed hillary!!
rduke@5
exactly
clark is as much a war criminal as bush...and clinton...and bush....and reagan
if you look at the nuremberg laws...every president since fdr is a war criminal
Dear Mr. Limbaugh,
Thank you for your recent comments attacking the integrity of our troops. We at JasonS found your despicable tirade both amusing and confirming of our worst assumptions about you.
Unfortunately, there are only so many hours in the day and only so much derision and disgust to go around. We therefore regret to inform you that we cannot muster the energy to pluck even a single hair over you, you silly, tiny, ridiculous, irrelevant little man.
Best of luck in your future endeavors.
Sincerely,
JasonS.
Rush who?
Jason, you left out one important word - ...you silly, tiny, ridiculous, impotent, irrelevant little man."
Limbaugh has no place on AFR. No matter what he said, he's an advocate for a political party nothing else. To give him airtime is to endorse the GOP.
Besides, hes a world-class asshole. Personally, I'd make him buy his airtime like all the other infomercials. He'll be on 3:30AM after hooked on phonics, and before Jimmy Haggert.
Yes. Let's put all of our hate towards Wesley Clark, a 4-star general who managed to stop a genocide by using diplomacy and enlisting a multilateral force of allies. Let's put all our hate toward Clark, who is a Rhodes scholar who speaks passionately and forcefully for Democrats to red state worryworts.
Oh, yeah and to the Clintons ... who are the only Democrats to win the White House since the Reagan era began.
Who needs the Free Republic, when we have the circular firing range that is Crooks and Liars?
Tim @ 20:
-------------------------------------------
dude i don't think C&L said it.
if you'll check you'll see that it was a commenter who attacked gen. clark.
lol tim...i mean lol!
If Wesley Clark were president... ohh, yes, don't stop...
I hope everyone signs the petition
I know, but we (as commenters) are part of this site. Most of the vilest spew on Free Republic in in the comments, not in the original postings.
No offense to the management of the site or to other commenters, but bashing Clark is counter-productive. He's a great asset to the progressive movement.
He really didn't say that about anti-war veterans... he was just making a sarcastic generalization b/c of an ABC news story a few days previous that had exposed an anti-war "veteran" as actually being phony. A lot of those guys over there in that hellhole like listening to Limbaugh. If that's what they want, it's the least we can do to keep him on. Let it go. Rush Limbaugh didn't take us to war in Iraq, he didn't steal Florida in 2000 or Ohio in 2004. Seriously, think about the free speech issues here. Even if Limbaugh did say that all antiwar vets are "phony," is that something that Harry Reid and the US Congress should be wasting time on? And what about Harkin's, "Maybe he was on drugs again... if so, he ought to let us know." Oh really? So every American should tell Harkin when they're getting high now? Or just the irritating fat talk show hosts that he disagrees with? This is a joke... now our phony outrage machine is just as well oiled as the Right's. We're supposed to be better than them, remember?
Although there are better uses for their time, given all the brouhaha over the MoveOn ad I wouldn't mind Congress condemning Limbaugh's comments. However, I'm not sure that I'd curtail his free speech rights any more than I want any of ours to be hampered. If he isn't just preaching to the converted, he'll be seen (heard) for the blowhard he is--let him spout off, it's just hot air.
That clown is actually on Armed Forces Radio?
Matt @ 26:
I've listened to the comment in context and he is referring to soldiers who disagree with the war when he refers to "phony soldiers."
I used to think that we should be "better than them" ... but that whole rising above the fray has resulted in consistent ass-whoopings for Dems. If you are going to get into the sandbox of American politics, you better expect to get dirty.
Rush is against drugs, but he takes them. Rush is against attacks on troops, then he does it. I have no problem with this limp-dicked bastard taking a direct karma boomerang hit whenever he targets truth tellers on our side and counters with lies.
This at least shows that the Dems (though they may never be able to attain the viciousness of the righties and that's probably a good thing) can at least hit back ... and quicker then Kerry's stumbly response to the Swiftboobs.
It is vital that we neutralize the MoveOn non-sense and let these SOB talking heads know that they can't attack and expect us to lie down anymore.
Go Wes!
Oh and if you are concerned with his Free Speech rights ... Armed Forces radio controls who speaks on there. The only station they allow their troops to watch is Fox.
Our soldiers were lied into this war and are being lied to through biased media sources. If the Repubs wanted free speech on Armed Forces radio, they would have put Al Franken or Ed Schultz on, but they rejected both.
rduke @ 5:
Whether or not I choose to listen to slime like Limbaugh doesn't change the fact that many do listen and take Limbaugh's insane hatemongering very seriously. That makes people like Limbaugh into something very dangerous to our democracy as many of the most horrible crimes in history started with insane people talking and others following.
I am really getting tired of having to call or somehow voice my opinion to my representatives 2-3 times a week in order to tell them what they should be doing. My representatives are my employees, and if I have an employee who can't or won't do their job without constant supervision after a year on the job, it's time to fire that employee and find someone competent.
Yes, dump Rush from AFR. He's a disgrace to humanity.
Tim @ 30:
Not questioning the accuracy, but where did you obtain info that "the only station they
allow their troops to watch is Fox"?
tim....
quit slobbering on yourself as you watch the cbs evening news
clark is part of the same military industrial complex that has been killing people all over the world for years.
you didnt mention we bombed the living fuck out of the serbians!!! for months!!!
The only thing that needs to happen is for this blob of crapulance's audience to turn the dial. Buh-bye; end of story. Will that happen? I live in hope. In the meantime, we don't need to get him off AFR (though that WOULD be keen!), we just need equal representation from a progressive (read: sane) radio talker.
If AirAmerica can't be broadcast without censorship over the AFR then pillboy can't be either.
Question Blog @ 34:
Absolutely true and accurate, however, militarilly it was decided to use a different
tactic/stragey(not an invasion of a foreign country by our troops and suffering substantial
loss of life) and we bombed(as you said) the f.... out of the Serbs...
Matt @ 26:
Total bullshit. That retarded putz Jesse MacBeth was exposed as a liar more than a year ago.
"Go Wes." If only you were trying to be funny. Rush Limbaugh can say whatever he wants about antiwar troops. Rush Limbaugh cannot legally take all of the painkillers that he wants or needs (and what's the difference, exactly?), but that should be legal too. Be a goddamn liberal, not a Democrat partisan looking to "neutralize" the MoveOn crap. Unless you want to follow Harry Reid, a Mormon bankrolled by the casino industry, that is. Attacking Rush Limbaugh doesn't move us one step closer to ending this war. And we didn't get our asses whooped b/c we "stayed above the fray." When we've gotten our asses whooped, it's b/c we had bad candidates who ran bad campaigns. No party in our country's history ran uglier advertising than the GOP in 2006, and who got their asses whooped that time? As for Wesley Clark, I'll defer to Matt Taibbi:
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20031215/taibbi
Glenn Greenwald addressed the concerns of folks who are worried about government "wasting time" on Limbaugh:
"I understand, but disagree. Generally speaking, there are two ways to diffuse a corrupt argumentative standard -- (1) argue that it is unfair/corrupt/dangerous or (2) take it and apply it to the people wielding it.
In our political culture, tactic (1) -- the more noble one -- does not usually work. It comes off as whiny and weak. The only way to destroy these tactics is to demand their equal application, including to the people who invent and disseminate them.
Ultimately, a bad standard applied only to one side is worse than a bad standard applied equally.
The resolution against MoveOn smacks of McCarthyism, and while I think it is helpful to keep Rush's heinous comments in the spotlight, I'm not comfortable about seeing the Senate go wholesale into the business of condemning political pundits and activists. And there are just a few other issues to which they might be better off dedicating their time.
How about if demanding equal application of the Condemnation Standard is the only way to put a stop to it (which is what I think)? Then would you support that? Assume - as I think is true - that there are only two choices:
(1) Republicans keep using formal governmental condemnation as a political weapon, or
(2) Democrats take the same weapon and apply it to Republicans, thereby eliminating the advantage of this pernicious tool, thereby causing it to end.
Which is better? Clearly, you prefer option (3) -- the weapon is never used at all -- but as the MoveOn vote shows, that is not an option in the real world."
Doggiebobo @ 37:
Similiarly, I might add, as what I suspect and/or anticipate will be the case in Iran, IF/When
bush finds it necessary(convenient) to do so...
True.
Mutual assured destruction is preferential to one-sided assured destruction.
But it's all madness nonetheless.
30 and 36 are correct. The information battle to our servicemembers is carried by AFN/AFR. Right now they do enjoy NPR, but to get shows well balanced as schultz or even some of the shows from AAR ?...ITs not as succesful as it should be.
The servicemembers are exposed to the republican noise machine via Fox, and Limbaugh.
Fox makes sure they cover the most miniscule military action on thier satellite feeds to show "them other media outlets won't report it cuz we care about you"
Better to read to "stars and stripes" and maintain the objectivity.
Since the elitist, out-of-touch, spineless Democrats aren't doing anything, I hope everyone who is a regular here has signed Clark's letter. It's now time to put up or shut the f#!k up!!!
I signed off on this petition and am right with the good General on this one. We need to barrage the Congress with complaints about this fat foul idiot and run his ass out of our media.
He and Shaun Hannity and all the rest of this hand picked media have been nothing but disgusting distractions and pushers for Bush and this illegal war and I include the FCC in on this shit because they refuse to do anything about it and as a matter of fact they are doing all that they can to escalate it further, in-spite of the consistent cries from the public who pay dearly for this corruption in our media.,
Like all the other federal agencies in our government, Bush has a right wing team of thugs including the head fool of FCC, making decisions of what American people view and hear in media.
We have really got to join forces and bring all these bastards down in 2008.
For four decades, Democrats have been getting absolutely dominated in the national security debate in this country. And it has killed us come general election time.
Wes Clark brings us more credibility on national security than any electable Democrat to arise in any of our lifetimes. He's a bedrock Progressive. He's a brilliant academic. He has enormous red state crossover appeal. He has more qualifications to be Commander-in-Chief than all eight of our current candidates... combined. And he was right on Iraq from day 1.
If we don't make this guy our Vice-Presidential nominee, then we are squandering a historic opportunity.
Matt @ 39:
It's been the ignoring or dismissing of these lying highly partisan clowns that have put Democrats in such precarious positions time and time again when elections come around. Their mentally impaired followers and listeners don't care if Limbaugh plays fast and loose with the facts, or that they will lose their jobs, their healthcare, or school funding, etc., as long as they can take a shot at a "librul" via the voting booth. When are you guys going to wake up that Rush's followers, as those of O'Reilly and Hannity, can and DO make a difference.
I signed on and so did my wife.......this asswipe needs to be taught a lesson....oh and I hate that picture of the ass cyst......I'm working on a house right there....same view....and I keep seeing ass cyst standing there......ruins the whole thing.uuugghhh...I loath that ass.
"Run his ass out of our media?" Technically, it's Rush Limbaugh's media too. Just as one should read books rather than burn them, if you have such a problem with a talk show host, then I guess you should try to get your own show off the ground. Just like he did.
nocore @ 46:
Wes Clark is my first choice for Prez........I'm bummed he didn't announce.
Bluestater @ 47:
No they do not. Really... they don't. And even if they did, we'll never change their minds. Our problem when it comes to winning elections is not the Fox News crowd. It's young people and black people showing up to vote in the same numbers as the Fox News crowd. When we get there, we'll win every time. And we're getting there. This Limbaugh-attack stuff is petty nonsense, and it's a step backward.
OH MY GOSH! Listen to yourselves! We all believe in free speech, are we willing to defend it?! You really want congress to get involved in a case of free speech?! Heading down that road is DANGEROUS not only for your target, but FOR YOURSELVES! There are a lot of people out there who KNOW who the windbags are! If you don't like what he's saying call his show, write a letter, blog, tell your friends, boycott him: but FOR THE LOVE OF OUR CONSTITUTION - DO NOT TRY TO LIMIT FREE SPEECH!!!!!
[deleted--please consult the commenting policy. Posts made with the intent to insult or incite a flame war will be deleted. If you have a point, try making it civilly.]
Rush's rating are going through the roof.
He is loving this.
jr @ 24:
Why bother? Democrats throw it in the garbage can like all the other petitions that have been sent. Letters and petitions are a waste of time. When are we going to put our effort toward something that will be successful? Don't bother Nancy Pelousy and her cabal of losers with your letters and peititions. She doesn't want them.
Darryl @ 53:
Just out of curiousity, [deleted], do you actually research the baseless smears, unfounded attacks, and charges that the Limbaughs and O'Reillys of the Conservative radio world dispense daily? Do you?!
His website has the doctored version, by the way: "Surprise !!!".
Matt @ 49:
who do you think sponsors him??Where do you think he gets his money??Sure he can be on the airwaves....but he should be factually accurate....his lies are a completely different matter.He should have the decency to be honest...but that would get him no where.....but has he any decency?........nevermind....that's a stupid question...isn't it.
Tax-payer's moneys should not be used to disparage the military men and women who don't support this illegal war. Period! Rush should shove that cigar up his fat ass -sideways and lit.
kerplunk @ 55:
I'm not ready to give up.....are you?
Saazsea @ 52:
Saazsea, all bold typing is annoying.
You are missing the forest for the trees. Rush has every right to say whatever he wants. No one is trying to abridge that. However, the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT does not HAVE to give him a platform (and a completely unbalanced one at that) on Armed Forces Radio.
If the Congress can take time out of their busy schedules (of pandering and giving Bush all the money he asks for with no limits) to condemn MoveOn for an ad in the NY Times (that few soldiers likely read before the controversy) but leaves Rush alone to be heard on the one of the primary mediums for our overseas troops, then it's clear that the issue of troop morale is a cover for partisanship that the Democrats are either too stupid or too craven to fight against.
Saazsea @ 52:
We, at least I'm not, trying to limit his free speech, but like hell if he belongs dispensing that crap on AFR when there is no extreme Liberal there to counter his extreme far-right slop. I'm sure there are plenty of Conservative commentators who would be happy to be on AFR who need not to descend to such depths as Limbaugh often does.
Bluestater @ 56:
Darryl...was that you?..Or was that your other brother Darryl.....because you act just like them...........yeah...his website is,was,and has been doctored...........geeeezzzz...the thing people will believe.....but that's ok darryl you just keep on hating us.......it'll shorten your life span.....so have at it.
Tell you what, I'll support this movement if a shitload of troops in Iraq want him off AFR. Until then, let's try to end this war, not Rush Limbaugh's career.
Rep. Murtha is the son of the late Walter Brennen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSgqrrWyF0Y
Matt @ 51:
How can you say that with a straight face? I'm not talking about changing their minds, because that won't happen, but I do think we ought to fight fire with fire because that is all bullies understand. If you think the older conservative cohort that follows Fox News does not vote en masse, you're mistaken. We have to neutralize them, and dismissing them is outright stupid.
Tim @ 30:
Does freedom of speech include the freedom to lie?
If the purpose of the mm/mo criticism is to change a few simple minds by manufacturing and expoiting a problem, then, mission accomplished. But, what, then ultimately, is the impact on free speech? In China, the former Soviet Union, Russia, eventually Venezuala...etc. all media, including this site and Limbaugh would be shut down, you and I would be hunted down and killed or put into re-education camps...you might have to share a bunk with Limbaugh! ... this is a slippery slope: you want to put Limbaugh, et al, out of business, maybe into a camp? Do it to him, you'll eventually do it to yourselves.
His comments can be debated, as they should, but fairly please. Limbaugh's 20+ year career supporting the military weighs heavily in his favor, however. (BTW, the troops requested that Limbaugh be broadcast as the hourly death watch count on CNN, MSNBC was too depressing) In the end, exposure of this false issue and Harkin/Reid's pathetic criticism of a private citizen on the Senate floor will be used and abused by the right in pre-election propoganda. Sadly, Limbaugh's ratings will rise as well. Moveon and mediamatters have stepped from the muck into the mire.
Matt @ 63:
When was the last time you talked to a GI........go and ask them.
what is needed is for him to be embarrassed....humiliate him by publicly calling him a liar.That will make some people see him for what he is......he needs to lose his credibility(yeah I know...he has none)..publicly discredit him.
scruzman @ 66:
If he is such an ardent supporter of the troops...then why did he dodge the draft........a cyst on his ass....well...it's original.....and they do lance those things.....don't they.....I've had four...not on my ass though
mudshark @ 68:
Exactly.
EXACTLY !!!
You'll never get his phagocytes to completely pull away from him, but if we can plant some modicum of doubt as to his credibility and integrity(cough, cough), then it is all worth it. We need to start hitting back on a massive organized scale. Heaven knows the Pelosis and Reids of the inner beltway aren't going to do it for us.
I get AFN TV here in Seoul. It's very lame, so I rarely watch. Anyhow, what galls me is they encourage soldiers to report waste, fraud and abuse (like, stealing paper clips), but if it's $9 billion, they don't really care; that went to friends. But screw the little guy-- common thief. The "Pentagon Report" is something else too-- all lies, or pepped-up sorta-news. I've never tuned into their radio station, but I'm sure I get it too.
My point being, everything affiliated with the military-industrial complex is tainted and despicable. Your tax dollars at work.
Um, I appreciate the "fight 'em like they fight us" thing and all but:
1) It's more important, generally, to do the right thing than to win. If condemning Rush is about proving a point about condemning private citizens, great, but that's not the way this is being played.
How about a letter that says "we oppose official comment on Mr. Limbaugh because it's as inappropriate as the official comment on MoveOn?"
If THAT'S the point Greenwald et al want to make, then have the courage to just make it and stop with all the schoolyard gaming.
2) Congress should keep its grubby mitts off the editorial content of AFR, NPR, NEA and any other governmental organization that funds the arts or media.
Publicly funded speech is always going to be problematic. For every Limbaugh on AFR, you'll get an NEA-funded Mapplethorpe retrospective.
Rush probably should lose his AFR gig for this...but that should be up to AFR's editorial staff.
I don't like it when Republicans try to push David Sedaris off the air either.
Now, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, if you don't mind, could we please get back to governing?
Bluestater @ 70:
Thanks Bluestater..I've reading your comments and whole heartedly agree........we can't say get rid of him....that would be a bit much(snark)....but we can show him for what he is.......and to all the people who say do nothing.......I suppose you think it was ok for the MoveOn to get blasted...when in fact it was true.You see there is a fundemental difference.....one lies..and the other didn't.....So I say Blast the ass cyst......just stand back when it blows......it could get ugly.
scruzman @ 66:
Who said I wanted to put Limbaugh out of business? Armed Forces Radio should either drop him or put on an opposing voice. If they are going to put on opinion, then they should balance it with an equally impassioned opposing opinion.
The limit on free speech is not something I advocate, it is what Armed Forces Radio advocates by only putting right-wing opinion out there for our troops.
Either drop the rightie flame-thrower or balance it with a leftie. They already rejected the movement to put Franken and Schultz on there.
JasonS @ 72:
I understand what you're saying and in complete agreement with you, but all I'm saying is that we fight back -- we haven't been doing that imo! There is a huge chasm laden with nuanced responses between what the right says and does, and what we on the Left can and must do to fight back. Let's put our collective heads together and knock these guys down, and we need not descend to their levels to do that. We are far too intelligent and resourceful to let their filth go by unanswered and not to fight back.
mudshark @ 73:
sorry about the misspelled words..and I actually for got one or two....well anyway....I'm in construction and when they have him on the radio.....I look them dead in the eye and call him a communist......I love the looks on their faces...LOL
I sure hope people spread this message to other forums and messageboards and by email, we need to keep these fuckers off the airwaves, remember how Murtha was deomnized for being right? How about being correctly demonized for saying what Flushie said?