But a couple of weeks of listening to The Rush Limbaugh Show will reveal Rush to be a gracious host. If callers do not clearly express themselves, he takes the time to understand what they are trying to say.

He makes even the worst phone calls work to advance the show. That’s how good he is. Rush suffers the most irritating of callers, and seldom loses his temper even though thousands of impatient listeners are likely yelling and throwing their lunches at their radios and computer speakers.

		Steyn: The Superbower Blase: A Medicaid Buy-Off Sanders: Blanche Lincoln’s Balancing Act Costa: Saturday Night Fever Miller: The Man Who Would Kill Lincoln Hibbs: Just Bite Her Already Goldberg: We Need Your Help Spruiell: Welcome to the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy Editors: End It, Don’t Amend It Goldberg: Palinophobes Hate First, Ask Questions Later Murdock: Medicare: A Glimpse of the Future? Krauthammer: Travesty in New York Charen: Holder’s True Motive Lowry: Barack Obama’s Chump Diplomacy Spakovsky: Criminalizing Health-Care Freedom Anderson: Roadmap to Victory

As someone who occasionally provides Rush with “late arriving show prep” during commercial breaks, I have been amazed at how quickly Rush can assimilate new material. In a matter of seconds he can change gears and launch into an impromptu ten-minute dissertation on some issue he had not planned on addressing that day.

Some on the Left think Rush needs to be balanced by one or more voices on the other end of the political spectrum. A few politicians are even floating the idea of resurrecting the Fairness Doctrine. While conservatives consider most of the news media in America as decidedly liberal, those working in the media believe that they are the ones who really represent mainstream America, and they want equal time.

Does the mainstream media have a liberal bias? How can anyone determine the truth in such a matter of personal perception? The question is easily answered. In the free market of ideas, a widespread demand for views that have little or no supply will result in a huge market for anyone who steps up to meet that demand. Rush’s show remains popular partly because he meets a need that is not being met elsewhere.

When Air America Radio tried to counter Rush’s conservative views on-air, they failed simply because the market was already saturated with liberal views – from the mainstream media. When supply exceeds demand, the value of those views plummets. In stark contrast, Rush just signed a new $400 million contract. This is clear evidence of a continuing demand for something that still does not have a sufficient supply.

And this is what most in the mainstream media do not get. Rush is America. Its ideals and aspirations, work ethic and patriotism. A people who would rather focus on all that is right with our country rather than complain about what is wrong.

And as long the old media continues to deny that reality, Rush will continue to rally the hearts and minds of the people who make this nation work.

— Dr. Roy W. Spencer is a principal research scientist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He is author of the new book, Climate Confusion: How Global Warming Hysteria Leads to Bad Science, Pandering Politicians, and Misguided Policies that Hurt the Poor. He serves as official climatologist for The Rush Limbaugh Show.

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