Rush Limbaugh Interviewed By Palm Springs Reporter
CATCHING RUSH
What Would You Ask Limbaugh?
Despite, or perhaps as a result of Rush Limbaugh's position as the nation's most popular radio talk host, it isn't easy to
get El Rushbo to agree to an interview. For one enterprising newspaper reporter, however, the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic golf tournament in Palm Springs proved a great place to catch him in a happy, chatty mood.
If you bumped into him on the course, what might you ask?
During my years in talk radio, I've met Limbaugh only once, at a 1998 station event in Seattle. For some time thereafter, I was known as the guy who auctioned off his cigar remnants on-air for charity, raising $1000. It was unplanned and surprised Rush as much as anyone else.
Like most radio, stage and film performers, Limbaugh is notoriously quiet and introverted in person. And why shouldn't he be? There's more risk in opening up than simply keeping one's mouth shut.
That reluctance to speak, however, extended even to the radio studios, where he had little to say to us, either. Considering just how much public and media blowback a person in his shoes has to endure in any given day, though, it's necessary to cut Rush a certain amount of slack.
So whether the Desert Sun's Leighton Ginn had these questions mapped out in advance, or if they were cooked up on the fly, they weren't half-bad. A sample:
What might the Radio Equalizer ask Limbaugh? Could the lefty assumption we would throw softballs be correct?
Not necessarily, but there's no way these questions would ever meet with their approval, either:
1) When is the guest-host pool going to finally improve, Rush? You've no doubt heard the complaints, so why must the show's quality drop so much at times while you're away?
2) For years, your program has anchored the schedules of many talk stations, with local hosts built around your timeslot. Now, many outlets have been so badly mismanaged with infomercials, horrible syndicated shows and more that the entire medium is threatened. When are you going to address the situation's severity?
3) Some conservative bloggers are frustrated that you rarely mention their sites by name, yet always seem to give full credit to referenced lefty sites. Do you see right-leaning blogs as friends, or competitors?
4) Conservatives are terribly frustrated by this Republican Congress. What's going to get them back on track?
Please note that none of my questions touched on anyone currently working at CNN.
What would you ask? Leave them in the comments section below.
Today the Radio Equalizer was asked by a liberal whether it appeared Limbaugh would soon retire. Since he's having a relatively easy time of it these days, working mostly out of his home, I can't see it happening soon. He still seems to be having fun, but one never knows.
Your Amazon orders that begin here, regardless of what you ultimately order, help to support this site's efforts. Thanks again!
Limbaugh sketch: Josh Ferrin, Desert Sun
What Would You Ask Limbaugh?
Despite, or perhaps as a result of Rush Limbaugh's position as the nation's most popular radio talk host, it isn't easy to
get El Rushbo to agree to an interview. For one enterprising newspaper reporter, however, the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic golf tournament in Palm Springs proved a great place to catch him in a happy, chatty mood.If you bumped into him on the course, what might you ask?
During my years in talk radio, I've met Limbaugh only once, at a 1998 station event in Seattle. For some time thereafter, I was known as the guy who auctioned off his cigar remnants on-air for charity, raising $1000. It was unplanned and surprised Rush as much as anyone else.
Like most radio, stage and film performers, Limbaugh is notoriously quiet and introverted in person. And why shouldn't he be? There's more risk in opening up than simply keeping one's mouth shut.
That reluctance to speak, however, extended even to the radio studios, where he had little to say to us, either. Considering just how much public and media blowback a person in his shoes has to endure in any given day, though, it's necessary to cut Rush a certain amount of slack.
So whether the Desert Sun's Leighton Ginn had these questions mapped out in advance, or if they were cooked up on the fly, they weren't half-bad. A sample:
Ginn: What are your thoughts about satellite radio?
Limbaugh: I think satellite radio is a new technology and it's going to build slowly. It's tough for me. I'm asked all the time if I'm going to satellite radio, and I've got 604 radio stations. I would cannibalize (myself) if I went to satellite radio. My audience is 22-24 million, and their subscription is like 3 million people. That's pretty small. The question is, they have a pretty big debt load and you've got two satellite companies.
At some point, it's possible there will be a new technology that is going to come along and surpass them before they can retire their debt load, like podcasting. I wish them the best, because it's more opportunities for people, but it's going to be a slow build. It's like satellite TV. They have a lot of subscribers and it's taken a lot of years to get there, but they still don't reach the nation.
Q. Who do you think will be the GOP's candidate for president in 2008?
A. This is the first year I can remember, the first election that there's no acknowledged frontrunner. It's wide open. A number of people think it will be McCain, I hope not. I like George Allen.
Q. Why not McCain?
A. I don't think he's conservative, pure and simple.
What might the Radio Equalizer ask Limbaugh? Could the lefty assumption we would throw softballs be correct?
Not necessarily, but there's no way these questions would ever meet with their approval, either:
1) When is the guest-host pool going to finally improve, Rush? You've no doubt heard the complaints, so why must the show's quality drop so much at times while you're away?2) For years, your program has anchored the schedules of many talk stations, with local hosts built around your timeslot. Now, many outlets have been so badly mismanaged with infomercials, horrible syndicated shows and more that the entire medium is threatened. When are you going to address the situation's severity?
3) Some conservative bloggers are frustrated that you rarely mention their sites by name, yet always seem to give full credit to referenced lefty sites. Do you see right-leaning blogs as friends, or competitors?
4) Conservatives are terribly frustrated by this Republican Congress. What's going to get them back on track?
Please note that none of my questions touched on anyone currently working at CNN.
What would you ask? Leave them in the comments section below.
Today the Radio Equalizer was asked by a liberal whether it appeared Limbaugh would soon retire. Since he's having a relatively easy time of it these days, working mostly out of his home, I can't see it happening soon. He still seems to be having fun, but one never knows.
Your Amazon orders that begin here, regardless of what you ultimately order, help to support this site's efforts. Thanks again!
Limbaugh sketch: Josh Ferrin, Desert Sun
published by Brian Maloney at
05:30
4 Comments:
I would ask him if he thought the Fairness Doctrine stands any chance of being revived since Conservative Talk dominates the airwaves with no end of that dominance in sight.
By
rich glasgow, at 23 January, 2006 00:53
The problem, Sailor, is that the libs can't compete so they resort to bad law. That's the essence of our fight for good SC Justices. You can bet on someone like McClame to invoke some regulation on talk radio, which you have to know, he absolutely hates. Can you imagine what he thinks when he is forced to hear Rush's parodies on the 'straight talk express'? Make no mistake, Sailor, the libs aren't going to 'adapt' just because they can't compete! They will pass bad laws and the RINO's will join in.
By
rich glasgow, at 23 January, 2006 03:06
And conservatives will be called racist for any kind of law that follows common sense--and you know what--it is THEY who are of the extreme left that oughta be called racist, extreme etc.!
By
The Real Bob Anthony, at 23 January, 2006 18:14
When's all the baiting on both sides gonna stop? It does noone any good.
By
Matthew Bamberg, at 27 January, 2006 15:01
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