In recent days, there has been a great fuss over Rush Limbaugh. It’s amazing, the attention he attracts, and the heebie-jeebies he gives people. Some of my friends have blasted him. One was in my office just yesterday, blasting him.
Okay. Rush isn’t for everybody, but who is? There are many other radio hosts on the dial, and you can choose the ones you like — or none at all. I like Rush. I think he’s right about almost everything. And I like his spirit — the sheer joie de vivre he expresses. I wish I had more of that myself.
After November’s election, Colin Powell said that Republicans have to stop listening to Rush Limbaugh. Since when have they ever listened to Rush? For president, the Republicans nominated probably Rush’s least favorite politician (in the GOP, that is). And I’m sure most Rush fans voted for him, because they thought he was a lot better than the alternative, which he was.
Whom did Powell support, by the way? Barack Obama, the Democrat, and the most left-wing president we have ever elected, possibly. I’m not sure that Powell Republicanism is the Republicanism the GOP should want.
And let me say a further word about John McCain — whom I admire, and whom I voted for enthusiastically. He was almost perfect for the GOP moderate types, you would have thought. He was anti-Christian Right. He was Mr. Campaign Finance Reform. He was Mr. Amnesty. He was Mr. Global Warming. He was Mr. Reach Across the Aisle.
Except for being against abortion and for free trade, he was made-to-order.
And if McCain isn’t good enough for the Powell brigades — who ever would be?
As far as I know, Rush Limbaugh isn’t running for anything. And he isn’t trying to be the face of the Republican party. He has a radio talk show. And, taking advantage of free speech in America, he says what he thinks. People are free to agree or disagree. That’s democracy. (Forgive the banality.) If you have a better argument, spell it out. One thing Rush has always been happy to do is engage with ideas.
Are his critics willing to engage with him? Or just sneer and resent?
Rush has had a considerable influence on people, for the good, I believe. In my time at
National Review, I’ve interviewed a lot of young people, for jobs — internships and junior editorships. And I often ask how they became a conservative (presuming they are). And a good many people have said — sometimes sheepishly — “I listened to Rush Limbaugh.” And a good many of
those have said, “I listened to Rush behind my parents’ back.”
Are these dumb kids who hate books and long to join up with the Klan? Not on your life — they are among the fanciest: Ivy Leaguers, brainiacs, world-beaters.
Rush has been widely criticized for saying he hopes Obama fails. Well, I hope Obama fails, too — that is, in his efforts to achieve what I think would be bad for the country. What’s so mysterious and wrong about that? Say I were elected to office. (Just imagine!) I am anti-abortion. I would work to make abortions illegal. I think it’s an issue with some parallels to slavery.
And pro-choicers would hope I failed. So what? Why shouldn’t they? I can’t think of anything more understandable.
For eight years, we heard nothing but “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.” Those who did the most to block or undermine President Bush were exalted as the Great Americans, and People. But dare oppose The One (i.e., our 44th president) — and you’re one of the lowest life forms.
Well, nuts to that.
There are many things wrong with the Republican party today, and Rush Limbaugh, in my opinion, is not one of them. Donald Rumsfeld (another pet bogey) used to say, “America is not what’s wrong with the world.” That is true. And Rush Limbaugh is not what is wrong with the Republican party.
Frankly, Secretary Powell is more like what’s wrong: If he can’t discern the superiority of John McCain to Barack Obama, where the presidency is concerned, who needs him?
And even if you think Limbaugh is harmful, what’s he supposed to do? Give up his show? Kill himself? Can he help it if people are drawn to him? What’s he supposed to do, be less appealing so as to depress his ratings?
One thing that has pained me is that some people have used Bill Buckley against him. They say, “Rush Limbaugh is no Bill Buckley.” Yeah, so? Who is? Bill Buckley was unique, and Rush Limbaugh is unique. Both are their own men. They are individuals. Campaigning in 1976, the president used to say, “I’m a Ford, not a Lincoln.” There was only one Lincoln.
Until now, that is, in the eyes of some of Obama’s more fervent admirers.
As it happens, WFB loved Rush Limbaugh — I know, I was there. And Rush loved him back. Bill does his thing, Rush does his. I try to do my thing, we all put in an oar. I’m sure Rush makes mistakes, and I’m sure I make mistakes. You may make mistakes, too. And we keep going, doing our best.
Rush Limbaugh is a Reagan conservative who thinks that what a united Democratic Washington is now doing is wrong and alarming. I agree. And conservatives would be a lot better off if they stopped spitting at Rush and stood up strong against Obamism.
I mean, here is a man who is putting Charles Freeman and Samantha Power and Dawn Johnsen in power. And we conservatives have our knickers in a twist about Rush?
I want to return for a second to a theme: George W. Bush liked to say that you can’t be all things to all people. And the older I get, the more I appreciate the truth of that statement. You can’t be loved by everybody. You may desire it, but it’s a darned hard thing to achieve. Especially if you stand for something — then it’s especially hard to be liked by everybody.
This may shock you, but not everybody likes Impromptus. (I know, I know . . .) And not everybody likes Rush Limbaugh. Big deal. You pays yer money and you takes yer choice.
And there should be room for all of us — as long as we have goodwill and something to say. I must say that, as a music critic, I am getting ever more liberal. That is, I am ever more conscious that there is room for everybody — as long as the person has merit.
In the last week, I have reviewed both Lang Lang, the pianist, and Cecilia Bartoli, the mezzo-soprano. Now, their musicianship is not the musicianship I was raised with — that is, the idea of musicianship that was instilled in me. I think they commit a great many excesses. But, you know what? They are loaded with talent, and I’m glad they have their careers.
There are other pianists in the sea, and there are other singers, too. You don’t have to go to their concerts. You don’t have to buy their records (as I still call them). But I, for one, am glad they’re part of the mix. If you want music-making that’s a little less . . . hot: You can go to, say, Ivan Moravec and Anne Sofie von Otter.
And if you don’t like Rush or me or Jim Hightower or Eric Alterman, you don’t have to have anything to do with any of us. Isn’t that wonderful?
But, really, who could fail to like
Rush! I mean, no matter what a person’s politics! I’m pretty sure that, even if I were left-wing, I’d like El Rushbo — get a kick out of him. He is talented as can be — and a radio talent is a special talent. (I think Rush and Howard Stern should be friends, behind the scenes, but I guess that hasn’t happened.) Rush is an irrepressible spirit. He faced up to an addiction problem without an ounce of whining or blaming (very un-American, actually). He makes millions of people happy every day. He has given millions to worthy charitable causes.
I mean, what’s not to like? But then, my mother might say that about Impromptus . . . (Wouldn’t you, Mom?)
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