Is The Limbaugh Era Nearing An End?

Rush Limbaugh has been one of conservatism's greatest assets and success stories over the last twenty years. I'm a fan and I can still remember finishing up his first book, The Way Things Ought To Be and thinking what a refreshing, eye opening and ultimately powerful book it was. Next to Reagan, Limbaugh may be the single biggest reason why conservatism has enjoyed such a decent run in recent times. I'm not ignoring Buckley but his reach and influence were of a different sort.

Unfortunately, like seasons, all times do eventually come to an end. His language was more careful here than is being credited by some, as is often the case with Rush. He was speaking to the substance of what Jindal said and basically admitted the delivery was bad. 

Because if you think people on our side, I’m talking to you, those of you who think Jindal was horrible, in fact, I don’t want to hear from you ever again if you think that what Bobby Jindal said was bad or what he said was wrong or not said well, because, folks, style is not going to take our country back.

I've no doubt Rush will continue to be extremely popular and broadcast for as long as he wants, putting aside any new alleged fairness effort. Don't interpret this as my somehow bashing Rush. But reality and time are what they are.

At only fifty-eight, hopefully he still has a long way to go. But many of the battles conservatives have to fight and win need to be engaged at age levels that could prove to be beyond Rush's professional reach.

How we fight and win those battles will prove more important to the future of conservatism in America, than will the hopefully continued success of Rush's career.

Comments

[oldtimer]

Rush is just beginning.

[rrpjr]

I'm not sure of your point. I never considered Rush the leader of a movement in the first place. He's a voice, and right now happens to fill a huge void of voice, i.e., the near-complete absence of incisive and fearless conservatives refusing to play the communication game according to liberal/left rules. He nails the Left in ways no one in the popular cuture does or maybe can. No one. I think his influence will grow, at least for the short term, as he faces down attempts to silence him. If the Left is trying to silence him, and they are, then by definition he is important.

[Will]

You are being very careful in the words that you choose, I noticed. Would you care to elaborate on what you mean by, "But many of the battles conservatives have to fight and win need to be engaged at age levels that could prove to be beyond Rush's professional reach."

[Dan Riehl]

Sure, though I think it obvious. I'd wager Rush's demographics don't match voter demographics as well as they might have some time back. I suppose I's supposed to debate a few ditto heads now to somehow prove that everyone including Rush Limbaugh gets old and new generations will be called upon to lead a conservative movement if there's to be one in the future?

Nothing I wrote demeaned or diminished Rush in any way and I've better things to do than debate people who need to create strawmen to somehow feel their defending their Rush crush. I gave him ample credit and continue to be a Rush fan.

That's a different issue than acknowledging the need for conservatives to find other routes to spread their message to young people, some of whom may not even know what AM radio is.

[Lala]

I was listening to Rush when he talked about Jindal. The impression I got was that he was telling people not to go into despair thinking it was over for Jindal. He was saying so what, he didn't make a great speech, he'll get better, give him a chance, it's not the end of the world.

[Dan]

Yeah Lala, that was my take on it, too, as I posted.

Way too early to know about 2012.

[nina]

Rush is just getting started. The way we are going...hell will break loose soon and we need him. He is the motivational and inspiring leader of the right. No fear mongering. No bull. Why do you think they(including BO) single him out? They know he has the power to turn things against them.

[Roger Cotton]

The answer to this blog entry is: No. The so-called Limbaugh Era is not coming to an end.

That's like wondering if Liberalism is coming to an end. I wish that it were but wishful thinking doesn't make something so.

[Michaela]

I'm almost 28 years old and am mother of three small children. I LOVE Rush! I listen to him everyday! I can still remember the first time I ever heard Rush on the radio- I was about 11, sitting in my parents blue Lincoln going to the doctor's office, and it was right after Clinton defeated GHW Bush. Rush was ranting and raving and I remember thinking this Clinton guy must be really really bad. My parents listened to him everyday when I was growing up and now my kids dance and say "Limbaugh Limbaugh" when his intro song comes on.

The Limbaugh era is far from over. You'd be surprised how many young conservatives listen to him regularly! I'll be very sad the day I can no longer look forward to hearing his reassuring voice!!

God Bless!

[Syntax]

I remember Rush ranting about the evil Clinton guy with his 8 years of peace and prosperity and job growth, and record high cash surpluses. What a truly evil and incompetent man Clinton was in the view of the doctor-shopping, pill-popping, junkie radio personality, Rush Limbaugh. Unfortunately many people are right, the Limbaugh era is far from over because this idiot is now the leader of the Conservative/Republican party spewing out the long-been dead Karl Rovian style of politics that has proven itself to be a dead and deadly movement for the past 2 election cycles. Unfortunately its all you know. Thumb-sucking tantrums about Liberals and tin-foil hat conspiracies about the mainstream media being out to get you while you religiously watch right-wing Fox news and listen to Right wing Rush Limbaugh. Apparently biased media is not as bad for you as you would like to believe it to be or you wouldn't listen/watch it.

Jindal is a comic character lying about being in a Sheriff's office when all witnesses place Jindal 75 miles away in Baton Rouge and NOT in New Orleans. I also like Jindal reminding us of the incompetent bureaucracy that existed in the previous eight years and the God-awful, horrible, disastrous mess that the dimwit Republicans are responsible for making and are now standing in the way of those who were elected to clean up their mess. Limbaugh needs to remind himself of something he said before "it is the will of the American people". I certainly hope the Limbaugh era isn't over! Maybe we can have another "Operation Chaos" where he had listeners change party registrations which cost the Republicans 2 elections on 2008. 2010 elections are coming, Republicans are even further behind in the polls as they were last year, Palin handed the election to Obama and still she is considered a hero, Limbaugh is laying the smack-down on intelligent Conservatives in support of his listeners who are the lowest common denominator in our population who were stupid enough to listen to him and cost the Republicans 2 elections in 2008 and of course the other 90% of America is flat out sick of Republican s**t! Eight years of the largest expansion of government in our country's history thanks to the same Republican's whining about "big government Democrats". Government is now twice the size it was when evil Clinton left it. Eight years of pissing through our surpluses and doubling our deficit and the largest spending spree in the history of our country by the Republicans who whine about "big spending Democrats." And lets not forget...9/11 happened on Republican watch thanks to the same bureaucratic incompetence that "Jindal the Page" was happily referring to last night when it came to hurricane Katrina. And the new leader of the Conservative movement, Rush Limbaugh is too stupid to ask "why have we so badly lost 2 election cycles in a row?" Why? Because the Rush era is far from over, that's why! See you next November suckers!

[Stumpy]

The lashing out against Jindal was indeed juvenile, and displays the conservatives despair that we have no one with a tongue as adroitly gilded as Obama's.

But there has never been a good State of the Union Response speech in the forty years that I have been watching them. Inherently anti-climatic, with no audience to play off, and very few minutes to make your points.

Jindal's interviews today were home runs in my opinion (pity the man that has to debate this guy!), and Rush was right on in his analysis.

[Lily]

Like Rush (who, by the way, I don't listen to), I was not bothered by Jindal's 'style' or lack thereof. Style does nothing for me. I look for substance. And I am not impressed by people who judge by 'style'. I think very little of these people. If fact, I think its our obsession with 'style' that has gotten us where we are. After all, what has Obama to offer us by his charm and charisma?

Its time we all grew up and became more thoughtful and substantive people.

[Michael]

Basically, deep down, you're not a conservative, and you never will be.

Here's why: Conservatives respect the principles and the ideologies more than the people that communicate them. Conservatives' principles become more refined and resolute as time goes on. They don't wring their hands because they heard Jindal speak and whine, 'Awww, why can't we have our own Obama?'

What Rush said obviously spoke directly to you and it struck a nerve, or else you wouldn't have posted a half-assed, passive-aggressive blog entry dissing him by saying he's somehow getting old, and then turn around and say, 'but I really am a big fan of Rush, really, I am!'

That's how I know you're not a conservative and never will be, because you're a pretender, and you try to play both sides. You can't even formulate an opinion, plus you're afraid to offend someone who might disagree with you.

Conservatives don't play both sides, they always have an opinion, and they're not afraid to put it out there, and hear other opinions. They're not oversensitive ninnies.

Why don't you just admit that you agreed with everyone who said Jindal didn't have the style and delivery that Obama had, and somehow that's supposed to mean something, you guess? Well, you think so, but you're not sure. But you've got a pretty good idea. You hope.

Keep up the blog posts, you might end up one day with all the other confused, wishy-washy, whining, liberal RINO's, thinking you're just about to discover the new-and-improved formula for conservative thought.

[L.N. Smithee]

A: No.

Next question.

[Rolf]

Michaela, for the love of goodness and for the sake of your three children, turn off the talk radio. If in fact your kids are dancing to this noxious gasbag, turn it off. This thrice divorced addict is not a person one's children should hear, let alone celebrate.

[Dan Riehl]

"That's how I know you're not a conservative and never will be"

Sometimes I think the only downside of being a conservative is when you're forced to look around at some few of the idiots marching along side you. Isn't there a "true believer" event you'd rather be at right now, or something?

[Dan Riehl]

Oh and Michael: "RINO's"

I'm not a Republican, I'm a conservative. You must not know either enough Republicans or enough conservatives to assume they are the same thing. Were that true we wouldn't be in the spot we are right now.

[daveinboca]

Rush is totally on message when he says that Republicans bashing Jindal for not being Slick Willy are on his S-list. I am not a Republican, but Michael has a valid point. Substance trumps style for conservatives, and I didn't see BobbyJ make any gaffes on policy or even strategy.

When you have a three-ring circus of clowns like Biden, Gore, Pelosi and Dingy Harry making fools of themselves in multiple ways, fingerpointing a fellow conservative for voice & elocution is a waste and counterproductive.

Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, & Dick Durbin are also first-class bozos.

[seekeronos]

Jindal 2012!

[American Thinker Fan]

Actually, this is a natural cleansing process and Limbaugh should have been naming names since he is the lead dog in the movement. As such, it's his duty to keep order.

A few points:

Since when is the "response" become such a big deal? Does anyone remember Dingy Harry and Piglosi a few years back?

What does this say about our pundits when they fall for this stuff?

As conservatives, can we trust them to hammer Democrats? Where have they been hammering Democrats for Fannie/Freddie?

It's time to face facts. We have way too many parasites on our side living off the scraps of performing as the libs useful idiots.

[BreakRoomLive]

A hilarious moment from some hot GOP on GOP action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0CMgcCOoG8