Rush Limbaugh’s NFL Bid Ends; A Brand New Cable News War Begins
» 22 comments
Yesterday afternoon, news broke that conservative radio icon Rush Limbaugh’s bid to purchase the St. Louis Rams had come to an end. But shortly before that, Limbaugh, who may have known that his dream of owning an NFL team was over, went on the offensive against his most vocal critics on cable news, particularly CNN host Rick Sanchez. Bill O’Reilly got in the fray, asking his panel if Limbaugh should sue Sanchez for libel.
On yesterday’s radio show, Limbaugh claimed that he and his staff were working “behind the scenes” ”with the force of legal action” to get retractions against anyone who has publicly misquoted him during his attempt to become a part-owner of an NFL team. He appeared to be talking about CNN’s Sanchez, and had no hesitations about dredging up Sanchez’s past:
Rick “DUI, Leaving the Scene” Sanchez. Now on CNN every afternoon, spreading filth and lies, knowingly … like many journalists, he can’t take the kind of investigation or coverage he dishes out and the rest of his people dish out. They head to the tall grass, hide behind executives. I know ordinary people go to jail for this. But he was friends with the cops! As a TV reporter, he was friends with the cops. He got preferential treatment.
Limbaugh was referring to a 1990 incident that occurred in Miami, where Sanchez was a local anchor.
On The O’Reilly Factor, host Bill O’Reilly claimed that discussion of Limbaugh’s past — and whether or not what he said was racist — was “1984-type stuff, ladies and gentlemen. Thought police posture.” Later in the show, O’Reilly claimed that his research staff was unable to find a specific NAACP-related quote attributed to Limbaugh.
Later in the show, O’Reilly hosted a panel of legal experts to discuss Rush Limbaugh’s legal options, and they, too, seemed to be taking a few digs at Sanchez:
Rick Sanchez quotes appear in the following clip found on a website called “RushisaRacist,” a site that appears to exist for the sole reason of keeping Limbaugh out of the ranks of NFL owners. The clip was produced by “Brave New Films,” a production company responsible for a number of aggressively liberal films. The Sanchez quote is in the first 20 seconds:
As we’ve seen in the past, there’s no great love between Rick Sanchez and Fox News. Now that his war with Limbaugh is spilling over to Fox by proxy, it’s unlikely that will change anytime soon.
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22 comments
If Limbaugh is too controversial for the NFL, does this mean that they will remove KO from NBC Sunday Night football? What’s the difference?
Difference is that KO has never said anything bordering on racism… (Plus given his time as an ESPN anchor, he’s got actual job experience)
Well, Patrick… that’s not true. KO has said PLENTY of racist and misogynistic things. Take a look at his most recent screed against Michelle Malkin… then tell me if that’s “okay.”
Although, I agree that KO has job experience to talk about sports. It’s the political experience he doesn’t have.
Hate to bring up facts here to get in the way of your BS – Limbaugh was ALSO a sports announcer. He did sports before he got into political talk. He worked for the KC Royals.
Rick Sanchez is an embarrassment to CNN and to journalism. Equally, he is an embarrassment to the reasonable Hispanic population in this country. He does them no favor.
Let me jump in here for just a second..
Rick Sanchez got drunk….got into his car….ran a guy down and left the scene of the “accident”….oh yeah…the guy died…
R.I.P, Jeffrey Smuzinic..
OK….carry on..
I’d agree that the Malkin comment was bad, though I wouldn’t go so far as to call it misogynistic. I watched that episode of Countdown in its context, and the comment was directed at her alone, not all women in general. Not even NBC would keep him on board if there was truly a pattern of behavior here.
But if you want to compare apples to apples, the worst thing I’ve heard out of KO’s mouth in his capacity as sportscaster was a Sarah Palin joke about a guy who had his bell rung on the field, (I can see Russia from my house). Limbaugh in his capacity as sportscaster had been fired over his McNabb comment.
And for the record, both KO and myself supported (or at least didn’t object to) Rush’s attempt to buy the Rams.
To all you Olberman haters!! In less than a week he raised over $800,000 for Free Health Clinics in three major cities. To those of you who say he doesn’t have ANY listeners where do you think this money came from? He actually donated $10,000 toward the cause. Yea, I know we lefties are way to soft.
I have no problem with Rush and Beck because I see them as entertainers. When is the last time they contributed anything but their big mouths. KO’s mouth can’t campare to either of these two.
Dick Ebersol, whose bad karma has already been paid in full a few years back, was not only a Friend Of Bill, but a friend of OJ. He had an SNL member fired from Weekend Update for making fun of the killer. Now he runs SNF and has ruined that show. Its ratings tank until kickoff because so many people can’t stand Queef Nottaman. Dick’s got an agenda, and it’s green, and it’s stock in GE. Queef does make political comments: I’ve seen less than 5 minutes of his shtick and he acted sick pronouncing the player named “Bush”. What a wit!
Karma paid in full? You’re really gonna call out Olbermann while making jokes about Ebersol’s dead wife?
He didn’t get it, and we all know why. Obama threatened the NFL that if they allowed Limbaugh to own a team he wouldn’t let them use anymore military aircrafts for flyovers during Superbowl. ONWARD people ONWARD.
Pam1151 says:
October 15, 2009 at 3:36 pm
“When is the last time they contributed anything but their big mouths.”
Pam… before you “assume” such things, you should look it up. I shouldn’t have to point out your foolishness everytime, just because you don’t want to do the research.
Patrick Plante says:
October 15, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Do a Google search on “Olbermann” and misogyny… if you have a few hours to spare. Also, look up “racism,” and “criticized by the ADL.”
Yes, Rush was fired for his comment about McNabb… a comment that was quite clearly NOT racist. Is McNabb over hyped… yes. Was it because he’s black… maybe, that’s an opinion to be had. But the NFL doesn’t have the backbone to fight off such an attack. It was easier to “make nice” and get rid of him, then to stand their ground.
The NFL didn’t fire Rush, ESPN did. The NFL has very little say in who covers their games. If Rush really wanted to, he could get Murdoch to put him in as a commentator on Fox Sports, and the NFL couldn’t do anything.
ummmmmmmmmmmm….
Rick Sanchez killed a guy….
> Was it because he’s black… maybe, that’s an opinion to be had.
Yes is was his opinion..a racist opinion! The fact is that Rush Limbaugh has used racially tinged language for years. He does not keep saying stuff that offends minorities out of his own ignorance. If that was the case, he’s the biggest idiot in the world because he’s got 20 years worth of racial baggage and should’ve learned by now. The truth is that he keeps saying racist stuff because, simply put, he is a racist.
@Pam1151
Look before you leap.
“The conservative radio talk-show host turned an inflammatory letter written by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and signed by 41 of his fellow Democrats into a more than $4.2 million gold mine for the kids of Marines and law enforcement personnel killed in the line of duty, all courtesy of eBay.
The Eugene B. Casey foundation Betty Casey coughed up more than $2.1 million to be the sole owner of the letter sent to the radio host’s boss demanding that Limbaugh be reprimanded for a “phony soldier” comment he made on air. Limbaugh has pledged to match whatever was paid for the letter.
Limbaugh described Betty Casey, a trustee of the foundation, as a loyal listener to his show.
“She gives significant sums to hospitals, hospices, colleges and private schools,” Limbaugh said during his radio show Friday afternoon, just after the eBay auction ended. “Betty has been a listener to my program since its inception, and we can’t thank her enough for her support. This was kind of the last straw for her, what Harry Reid did here.”
The money will go to the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation which provides scholarships to the children of those from both the Marine Corps and Law Enforcement who have fallen in the line of duty.
Harry Reid tried to take some credit for the huge sum on the floor of the Senate.”
Enough said.
He actually donated $10,000 toward the cause. Yea, I know we lefties are way to soft.>
What we know if LEFTIES are very cheap when it comes time to donating to charity. Obama, Gore, Biden and Olbermann.
Here’s Keith Olbermann’s Chicken and Waffles Racist Comment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKWVR-xcvtM
Wasn’t much longer till Keith was attacking Mexican Americans with the guacamole comment…
New York Senator Clinton, an adopted Giants fan watched the game in Minnesota and told the Associated Press, quote, “Super Bowl, Super Tuesday, we’ve got one down, let’s get the other.” This as her husband watched the game in New Mexico with the former governor, or with the governor and former presidential Bill Richardson, possibly asking Richardson for an endorsement and then, “would you please pass the guacamole?”
http://newsbusters.org/static/2008/02/2008-02-04-Olbermann.wmv
m says:
October 15, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Yes is was his opinion..a racist opinion!
Okay… wow me. Why was it racist?
Yesterday on Hannity, Stephen A. Smith said he agreed with Limbaugh’s opinion about McNabb. Is he a racist too?
The fact is that Rush Limbaugh has used racially tinged language for years.
So Rush is no longer allowed to say the following words:
Black, White, Caucasian, African-American, race, and so on.
‘Used racially tinged language”… give me a break. Free speech… unless Rush wants to talk about race, then it’s racist.
He does not keep saying stuff that offends minorities out of his own ignorance.
We agree… “he does not keep saying stuff that offends minorities.” People keep making up stuff, and saying he said it TO OFFEND minorities.
If that was the case, he’s the biggest idiot in the world because he’s got 20 years worth of racial baggage and should’ve learned by now. The truth is that he keeps saying racist stuff because, simply put, he is a racist.
Liiiiiiike what? Give me some examples.
And the left keeps making stuff up, hoping it sticks. Lie and smear, just as long as you really really don’t like the guy, it’s okay. How pathetic.
Mediaite, time for an update. Kind of a vital one. Apparently Sanchez has twittered an apology of sorts, admitting they cannot confirm the quote on slavery. Really guys, I shouldn’t be the one pointing this out, not unless you want to put me on the payroll.
Jeffrey Smuzinick could not be reached for comment….stay tuned…..ummmmmmm…somewhere….
So Limp-balls disputes one of the racist comments attributed to him, right? That means he concedes that he made all the others, like calling Obama a “half-rican=American”.
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