Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) Pushes Anti-Rush 'Reprimand'

THEY'LL NEVER LEARN

Tactics Echo Previous Anti-Limbaugh Effort







Apparently having learned nothing from the now- infamous "Phony Soldiers" flap involving Rush Limbaugh, Democrats are hard at work repeating the same mistake just as a new controversy heats up.

Following the lead of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), who famously tried last year to pressure Clear Channel Radio into silencing Limbaugh, Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) is pushing Rush affiliate KOA 850 AM to "reprimand" the talk titan after supposedly calling for riots during the upcoming Democrat convention.

But Rush was actually pointing to threats made by extreme- left groups, including "Recreate '68", which seeks to repeat the historic events of the 1968 Democrat convention in Chicago. Most antique media reports are failing to mention this.

From the Denver Post (disclosure: your Radio Equalizer worked for KOA Director Kris Olinger at KIRO/ Seattle):

"As I read Mr. Limbaugh's comments about riots at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, they appear to me to be a clear exhortation that those riots are exactly what he wants to happen," said Salazar. "For that kind of incendiary comment, I ask Clear Channel to reprimand Mr. Limbaugh."

Kris Olinger, director of AM programming for Clear Channel Denver, said that Limbaugh is syndicated by Premiere Radio Network , the syndication arm of Clear Channel.

"We passed the letter along to Premiere," said Olinger. "They obviously are going to take Senator Salazar's comments and consider them."

But Olinger added that from a local Clear Channel viewpoint, "we believe Rush is not calling for riots in Denver."

Olinger said she was not surprised to receive a letter from a U.S. Senator over Limbaugh's comments.

"We certainly expected strong reaction from the leadership," said Olinger. "No, we weren't surprised."

She added that she didn't believe Salazar has heard or read the full transcript of Limbaugh's comments.

She said the conservative talk-show host again talked about it today on his show.

Limbaugh reiterated he is not calling for riots, she said. Rather, he said that if the extreme left of the Democratic party creates riots and unrest in Denver during the convention, it will be bad for the Democrats and good for the Republicans, Olinger said.

Does anyone think Harry Reid would be stupid enough to repeat his ill- fated denunciation of Limbaugh from the Senate floor?


Meanwhile, both Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews of ratings- challenged MSNBC attempted to go to town with the idea that Rush was looking to start a riot in Denver, twisting and taking words out of context as needed for maximum propaganda purposes:

Countdown

Friday April 25, 2008

OPENING TEASER:

RUSH TO RIOT?

Limbaugh Loses It


KEITH OLBERMANN: Dumb man yells fire in crowded theater. Comedian Rush Limbaugh also denies he ever said it, ever urged that people riot during the Democratic convention in Denver this August.

RUSH LIMBAUGH: Burning cars, protests, fires, literal riots and all of that. That's the objective here.

OLBERMANN: Could Limbaugh be prosecuted for incitement to riot?

[the "also" refers to previous story on McCain denying something he said about New Orleans]


Hardball

on screen: RUSH WANTS RIOTS

CHRIS MATTHEWS: Rush would love to see a riot. It may come as little surprise, radio host Rush Limbaugh is daylight dreaming of a fight at the Democratic National Convention this August in Denver. Riots, he said, would ensure the country turns off the Democrats. Here he is.

AUDIO OF LIMBAUGH: We need as many ignorant Americans to wake up and find out exactly who the modern day Democrat Party is as dominated by the far left if this country. We need that to be seen. Now, I am not inspiring or inciting riots. I'm dreaming. [to I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas melody:] I'm dreaming of a riot in Denver.

MATTHEWS: I love that, I'm dreaming of a wild August in Denver. Rush Limbaugh: what a romantic.

At NewsBusters, Mark Finkelstein has more on Olbermann's typically reckless approach to journalism, stretching and contorting the words of his political opponents.

Though it's not a surprise to see his enemies take advantage of what they believe is an opportunity to harm El Rushbo, one would have expected a new strategy. If "Phony Soldiers" didn't bring down Limbaugh, why would this?


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