jillio

-- Rush Limbaugh brought a cheering crowd to its feet several times Saturday at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington as he called on fellow conservatives to take back the country.


Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh energizes crowd of supporters in CPAC keynote speech.

"We conservatives have not done a good enough job of just laying out basically who we are, because we make the mistake of assuming that people know. What they know is largely incorrect, based on the way we're portrayed in pop culture, in the drive-by media, by the Democrat party," the conservative talk show host told a mostly young crowd of energized supporters.

"We want every American to be the best he or she chooses to be. We recognize that we are all individuals. We love and revere our founding documents, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. We believe that the preamble of the Constitution contains an inarguable truth, that we are all endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty, freedom -- and the pursuit of happiness," he said, pausing several times for enthusiastic applause.

Looking ahead to the 2012 election, Limbaugh said conservatives will have to choose the right candidate to take the country back.

Limbaugh's impassioned keynote speech, punctuated by chest-thumping, fist-pumping and chants of "USA" from the crowd, capped off three days of talk at CPAC focusing on rebuilding the Republican Party.

"He played to his crowd here," CNN political editor Mark Preston said. "And this crowd is now energized, something we haven't seen from Republicans, certainly not conservatives, since the November election."

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Limbaugh used his self-described "first national address," which ran more than an hour longer than his allotted 20 minutes, to accuse President Obama of inspiring fear in Americans in order to push a liberal agenda of "big government."

"He wants people in fear, angst and crisis, fearing the worst each and every day, because that clears the decks for President Obama and his pals to come in with the answers, which are abject failures, historically shown and demonstrated. Doesn't matter. They'll have control of it when it's all over. And that's what they want," Limbaugh said.

"They see these inequalities, these inequities that capitalism produces. How do they try to fix it? Do they try to elevate those at the bottom? No, they try to tear down the people at the top."

Limbaugh praised Obama as one of the most gifted politicians he has seen, but said, "It just breaks my heart that he does not use these extraordinary talents and gifts to motivate and inspire the American people to be the best they can be. He's doing just the opposite."

Limbaugh also dismissed the notion of bipartisanship as a "false premise" given the diverging views of the Democratic and Republican Parties on a variety of issues, including the recent $787 stimulus package signed by Obama.

"Bipartisanship occurs only after one other result. And that is victory," he said.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/...pac/index.html

Is it really wise to utilize a drug addict as a spokesman for a political organization, especially when the conservatives consistently warn against the lack of values in the liberals?

Deafness

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Bottesini

That is something is wonder. Why do the conservatives who are always big anti drug, still listen to this drug addict?

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It's a joke Nathan!

ASLGAL

I saw the speech online through the CPAC site.
Rush Limbaugh was certainly himself. He never puts on airs. He proudly sports his CI, although nothing about his hearing loss was brought up by the MSM this time - it usually is brought up in the negative.


So you are saying, and many members here are same/same as Limbaugh where this is concerened, that because he had a problem with perscription drugs, perscribed by physicians for his pain and was addicted to them that he should forever be ostracized and shown no compassion or given any credit for getting help for the issues.
You must feel the same about AD members who have gone through medical addictions as well.
Sad.

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"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"
~ Edmund Burke~

"When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser"
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jillio

Rush Limbaugh did not just become addicted to painkillers as prescribed by his doctor. He also purchased them on the street, and it was shown that he was "doctor shopping" in order to obtain large amounts of narcotics. This, in and of itself, is dishonest. Nor did he seek treatment until he was forced into the position of doing so. The fact that he was using prescription drugs does not mediate the illegal actions he engaged in to obtain those drugs.

Can't show a compassionless man compassion.

Tousi

Yeah, now watch the hipocrisy and waffling that is sure to follow beyond this point.

jillio

The hipocrisy is coming from those that want to point out every perceived failing of the Democratic party while glorifying good ole Rush.

jillio

The chief exponent of the view that if a physician prescribes it, then you can’t become addicted was, of course, Elvis Presley. Elvis was an active drug warrior at the same time he died with massive amounts of pharmaceuticals in his body.

Elvis did not, however, obtain his pharmaceuticals illegally, but rather had them prescribed (by primarily one physician). Although Limbaugh may have been introduced to pain killers legitimately due to his post-operative pain, the reports are that he obtained large supplies of OxyContin illicitly. Therefore, his drug use was illicit in the same sense as is the use of per se illegal drugs. Nonetheless, quite a few prominent Republicans have found themselves in this position – Cindy McCain (wife of Arizona Senator John McCain) who used an international charity she directed as a way to supply her prescription drug addiction and Jeb Bush’s daughter Noelle who likewise abused prescription drugs she obtained illegally. Neither Noelle Bush nor Cindy McCain served jail time, and it seems likely that Limbaugh will use his voluntary entry into treatment to beat prison as well. Ironically, all three prominent Republicans involved – Jeb Bush, John McCain, and Rush Limbaugh – are ardent drug hawks who favor punishment of drug users.
Obviously, these individuals were addicted to drug effects in the same way as are those addicted to cocaine, heroin, et al. Nonetheless, there seems to be a substantial preference given to those whose addiction is limited to manufactured medications, even when they obtain these drugs illegally.

Is Rush Limbaugh's addiction different from other addicts?

shel90

Isn't it hypocrasy when the conservatives criticize those who got addicted to drugs as having no morals but see Rush as their spokesperson?

Go figure...

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Shel~

"A child educated only at school is an uneducated child." -George Santayana

Oceanbreeze

What has always astounded me is he has never been anything more than a conservative talk show host. Why do people think that because they have the ability to blow alot of hot air (talk alot of nonsense), it makes them credible?

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"You can blow out a candle, but you can't blow out a fire. Once the flame begins to catch, the wind will blow it higher."

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jillio

Or consistently call for the jailing of drug users, but don't call for the jailing of their own that are involved in the same activity?

ASLGAL

Rush Limbaugh is not one I watch or listen to everyday but jillio started the thread and I did see the speech. Way to gang up Shel,jillio, and Tousi - certainly says more about you all than I.

Talk about hipocracy, from all of you , and you only mention perceived conservatives in your drug run down jillio. Do you have proof of individual points regarding each person or just regurgitating liberal MSM talking points?

Uhmm, yes, this is what people who get hooked on perscription drugs do - they doctor shop, and are less than honest with everyone around them but mostly with themselves. It is part of the problem.

Lord, I hope no one you all love ever gets into that state as they surely will get no compassion or assistance to get themselves back together.

Your opinion based on what? Do you know him personally? his heart? his works?
I don't. Please enlighten me.

__________________
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"
~ Edmund Burke~

"When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser"
~ Socrates ~

ASLGAL

Hello, It is entertainment.



If you really believe the above then failed comics and Air America talk show hosts Janeane Garafalo and Al Franken should get none of your love or consideration either. And they want to make Al Franken a Senator
Are you as equally astounded by that? I hope so.

Actually Shel that is harping from the liberals. Conservatives do not consider Rush Limbaugh as their spokesperson.

__________________
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"
~ Edmund Burke~

"When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser"
~ Socrates ~

jillio

Google is your friend. The evidence is all there for you to view. Rush's actions over the last 30 years speak for themselves. As for the others, their addicitons are well known. As well as the other illegal activities they engaged in to feed those addictions.

shel90

Ganging up? WTF?

Iam responding to the topic of the thread and u bet your ass that I will say something about it because I have met some conservatives who preach to me about my cousin being a person without morals because she got addicted to meth and resorted to selling her body for more drugs. They said that she and others like her a shame to society.

This is not about Rush as an addict himself but about the kind of group of people who give him support but yet, refuse to give support to people like my cousin only just to shoot her and others like her down.

If I have to "gang" up against that belief again, I will be glad to do it.

Good job for making it into a personal attack when it wasn't in the first place.

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Shel~

"A child educated only at school is an uneducated child." -George Santayana

jillio

Rush Limbaugh brought a cheering crowd to its feet several times Saturday at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington as he called on fellow conservatives to take back the country.

ASLGAL

?? is the above supposed to prove something?


Shel, do you base every conservative off of some idea that you have based upon your like or dislike of a Rush Limbaugh?
That is a biased view.
Would you feel like I was wrong and biased if I based my ideas of every liberal on here based on Bill Clinton, or Barak Obama, or Al Franken?
I would hope so because it would be.

Obviously you have a cousin that has suffered through a perscription addiction or something similar.
Instead of finding a common ground with a conservative on the forum you just assume any conservative would support a Rush Limbaugh but not support your cousin.
Why?

I am really sincere in my asking....Why would you feel that way toward me or any other AD member who happens to be conservative?

__________________
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"
~ Edmund Burke~

"When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser"
~ Socrates ~

shel90

I am talking about those conservatives who criticize drug addicts as having no morals. See post# 8.

That was all I was talking about and I clarified about who I was referring to. Instead it got turned into my ganging up against AD members here.

__________________
Shel~

"A child educated only at school is an uneducated child." -George Santayana

ASLGAL

As the lone conservative I felt that way, especially with regard to the comment by Tousi indicating that I would start waffling and become hypocritical.


As far as your cousin's situation, you remember what I do for a living, I see this happen more than I care to say. It is especially sad to watch a vivacious young person with so much promise waste away before your eyes.
Meth is a vicious drug.
I have seen people who had taken themselves to the brink get the help they need and want and come out stronger. I hope your cousin reaches or has reached that point and gets her life back on track.

__________________
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"
~ Edmund Burke~

"When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser"
~ Socrates ~

deafskeptic

Very good question.

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Left ear implanted with Med-El on April 24 2007.
Activated on May 9th.

deafskeptic

Oh some conservatives walk the talk. Rush doesn't walk the talk. I hope you do.

__________________
Left ear implanted with Med-El on April 24 2007.
Activated on May 9th.

verasch

why not? we have a drug using president.


oh please. conservatives have a habit of over-forgiving. look at all those pundits they turn to who were 'formally gay'

so you'll only give compassion to someone who chooses to help themselves? i have some bad news for you. most people with addictions are the last to know they have a problem. the biggest part of addiction is that it forces one to lose control over their actions.

i'm not condoning what rush has done, or what he says, but i think it's extremely small-minded to pull one's addiction out just to bash them, especially when it has nothing to do with the article.

Oceanbreeze

I hear you, Shel. I knew a woman in college who was a conservative. We were friends until she made a statement to me that ripped me apart. My childhood sweetheart was a drug addict and ended up committing suicide. Not three weeks or so after the funeral, I had this girl over to the house for lunch and we were having a general discussion about crime and punishment, I think. I can't recall what we were discussing specifically. At any rate, she made a statement to me that I remember to this day. She said "All drug addicts should be thrown into a prison cell to withdrawal from drugs." This bitch saw the look on my face once she said that. Needless to say, it ended our friendship because I could NOT believe how cruel that statement was. I still can't.

Conservatives look at things in very black and white terms, and that is just not how the world works. There's a lot of "gray" in situations. There's exstinuating circumstances that need to be taken into account, and I don't think conservatives look for them. They are too quick to pass judgement.

It's sad.

__________________
"You can blow out a candle, but you can't blow out a fire. Once the flame begins to catch, the wind will blow it higher."

~Peter Gabriel

jillio

Just to refute your previous statement.

jillio

Since the article is about the consevative values Rush represents, and part of that is their stand on criminal prosecution of drug users, it has everything to do with the article.

Link for your photo, please.

Bottesini

I believe Tousi intended to be on the conservative side. (just to enlighten you)

Tousi! Now that she hates you too, will you come over to the Dark Side??

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It's a joke Nathan!

jillio

Exactly. It is that dichotomous thinking they represent...until of course, the time comes to apply their recommendations to themselves.

jillio

Poor Tousi. He has been found guilty by association.

verasch

yeah, that's a highly inappropriate remark to make at any point. aren't they doing something like that in mexico right now? i heard something about that on npr a few weeks ago.

you might be surprised to hear this, but not all conservatives think this way.

from the national review:


from the same article:

there are others, but i dont want to beat a dead horse. i'm just saying don't lump everyone in the same boat because there is a bad apple in the bunch that makes a lot of stink.

Oceanbreeze

I've yet to meet a conservative who didn't think in terms of absolutes.

__________________
"You can blow out a candle, but you can't blow out a fire. Once the flame begins to catch, the wind will blow it higher."

~Peter Gabriel

Oceanbreeze

Cruelty and hypocrisy. Two things I DO NOT want to wrap my mind around.

__________________
"You can blow out a candle, but you can't blow out a fire. Once the flame begins to catch, the wind will blow it higher."

~Peter Gabriel