When it comes to the politics of name-calling intended to belittle, demonize and smear, few influential figures do a better job than radio talk host Rush Limbaugh, who has been doing what he does best for 20 years now, dating back to 1988.
While there is much liberal talk radio just as addicted to smear talk, there is no liberal talk radio host who commands anywhere near Rush's audience of around 20 million per week.
We used to think that the years of President Bill Clinton would have been the peak of Limbaugh's harshest partisan attacks, as the uncontested master of the politics of personal destruction. But along came Barack Obama, and Rush has taken attack politics to a whole new level. He has even gone after Obama's wife and underage daughters. You don't dig any lower than that.
Rush Limbaugh salivated when Gov. Sarah Palin was contracted by Senator John McCain to join the ticket and save the McCain campaign in her role as McCain's vocal culturally conservative veep. Ever since Palin's arrival on the national stage, Rush has been re-energized like we've never heard him in years. Before then he had to settle for a sweet lemon attitude towards the moderate, maverick John McCain. But now, Limbaugh truly has a dog in this fight. With his own mouth, Rush said to Gov. Palin on his radio program, "I admire you so much!"
With Palin going to the cemetery to exhume Bill Ayres and wrap him like a corpse around Obama's neck, Rush is playing his part, covering the airwaves with the kind of animus that has made him the beloved of the hard right, with the millions of dollars that go with being the national hit man for all causes conservative.
You may ask why a politically independent guy like me would use my time to tune the AM dial on my radio to the Rush Limbaugh Show Monday through Friday for going 17 years now. Well, I do so for the same reason I watch or listen to the liberal media: to hear both sides out, so I can protect inner being from the kind of partisanship that blinds the heart and mind, the slam game that makes enemy combatants out of one's political opponents.
As a Rush listener, I have been keeping a tab on the various names, titles and descriptions that Limbaugh has attached to Democratic nominee, Senator Barack Obama.
1. Empty Suit: This tag means that Obama lacks substance. He's a puff of air. His speeches use words like "change" and "hope", but say nothing. Those who are taken in by "Barry Hussein's" fluffy orations of nothingness are emptier suits themselves, gullible souls to be pitied by the super-intelligent Limbaugh.
2. The Messiah: Rush used this title to say that Obama supporters regard the candidate as their political savior, like Jesus the Messiah. He also means that Obama sees himself as a God-size figure, who is shocked by disagreement, who despises those who challenge or criticize with him. Many Christians were offended by Limbaugh's sarcastic use "Messiah" for Obama, but their objections did little to restrain the conservative giant's fiery tongue from festering his twisted form of sacrilege.
Calling Obama "Messiah" portrays his "followers" as worshipers within "the Obama cult", as well as paints Obama as something of a competitor to Jesus Christ, an Anti-Christ, if you will. Have you seen the Obama T-Shirt with horns attached to his head? You've got the picture.
3. Squirrel: With that tag, Rush describes Obama not only as crafty and sneaky, but to tie him with ACORN (Association Of Community Organizations For Reform Now), that group that seems to be practicing what conservatives are already calling "voter registration fraud". As a squirrel feeds on acorn, Obama is benefiting from the efforts of ACORN. Acorn feeds squirrel; ACORN works for Obama. Got it?
4. Liar: Rush often calls Barack a liar outright. According to Rush, Obama is not telling the truth about what he heard or didn't hear from Rev. Jeremiah Wright at Trinity United Church of Christ, where Obama attended for 20 years. Obama lies about his association with Bill Ayres. Obama is not telling the American people about his true liberal ideas. Guess who has picked up this theme? Sarah Palin is correct, who is a Rush Limbaugh listener, as she intimated in her interview with Mr. Limbaugh on Tuesday, October 14, 2008.
5. Radical: Though Obama has all but bypassed the political platform and tactics of a typical black politician, Limbaugh insists that Barack's liberal ideas will radically change America as we know it. Rush fails to mention how radically the current administration, run by one of his guys, has "radically" changed America!
6. Extremist: Rush does not regard Obama as a run-of-the-mill liberal. No, Obama is something far worse, and Limbaugh cites MoveOn.org and other ultra-liberal backers of Obama as proof that the man is an extremist, the same label that some American politicians apply to Islamic/Muslim extremists. In other words, Obama is no less dangerous to the welfare of America than the terrorists are.
7. Socialist: Limbaugh believes that Obama's healthcare plan and tax policies will turn America into a socialist country. But Rush has a difficult case to make in this case, since the takeover of the financial sector of the US economy has been under the auspices of a Republican administration, with Barack often being a reluctant go-along. Much of the socialization of the American economy is already in place, without Barack in the White House.
8. The Most Liberal Person Whoever Ran for the Presidency: This one is like the catchall stigma with which Mr. Limbaugh intends to shock American voters as far away from Obama as they can go.
There may be and there will be other titles coming from the wordy lips of Rush Limbaugh, whether or not Obama wins the White House. But the sum total of all the name-calling is this: "You should be scared of Barack Hussein Obama. Be very afraid!"
No wonder, for fear is the weapon of choice for political underdogs.
To Rush Limbaugh and others who share his disdain for Barack Obama, let me post this warning: Wait till Barack becomes President Obama. Then you may need a regular dose of Maalox or that antidepressant Limbaugh's doctor used to give him under the table. Watch Rush loose his sanity, watch his health take a nose dive, if Obama becomes president. In that nightmare scenario for the conservative juggernaut, the only hope will be another round of addiction to unprescribed prescription drugs for the biggest mouth in talk radio. Pity the man.
