Thank you Rush

[talkjim]

Couldn't help but notice the following item on All Access.

At a time of major global financial challenges, a swine flu outbreak, terrorism threats and piracy on the high seas, thanks go to Rush Limbaugh for using the power of his microphone to unite the country and ease our nation's racial divide. No one does it quite like Rush:

Former Ship Hijacking Victim Rips Rush

[EDIT]



[EDIT-quotation in excess of Fair Use standards]

 

[The Ultimate Warrior]

I don't know why I am even bothering, but here it goes...

The point Rush was making is that if this had happened under Bush there would have been someone, that would make an issue out of America killing brown people. We heard it about Iraq and Afghanistan.

This story is so idiotic, even most of the media avoided it.

 

[talkjim]

"The point Rush was making is that if this had happened under Bush there would have been someone, that would make an issue out of America killing brown people. We heard it about Iraq and Afghanistan. "

Maybe and maybe not. I cover news for a living and I don't recall any such thing. The criticism of Bush's invasion of Iraq did involve charges of American imperialism, but I don't recall the racial angle being raised.

But we know for sure that a certain talk show host couldn't wait to raise the racial angle--even though he presumably agrees with the use of force by Obama. Shane Murphy is spot on in his analysis that this is nothing more than Rush playing the race card--and there's way too much of this in talkradio.

Unfortunately however, race is often a good vehicle for drawing attention to a show and keeping the numbers up. Sometimes though, as Don Imus found out, the playing of the race card can have unintended effects.