Rush Limbaugh on Glenn Beck: “Look What I Have Spawned”
Rush Limbaugh sat down with NBC News’ Jamie Gangel for a wide-ranging interview, being shown over two days on the Today Show. Yesterday was the first day, with some choice quotes; today, there are many, many more — about Glenn Beck, his painkiller addiction, the Donovan McNabb-ESPN incident and what he’d say to President Obama if invited to the White House. Which is totally likely.
Oh also, Rush is a fan of Glenn Beck. Why? Because he created him! More on that, and the above, below.
Gangel played a word-association game with Limbaugh. Here were the results:
President Obama: “Disaster”
Michelle Obama: “Uhhh…..(long pause) Garden.”
Jimmy Carter: “An utter disgrace and embarrassment. Sorry for the four words, but I needed them all.”
“1988 – I’m the only national conservative voice. Now look at conserative media. Look what I have spawned. Glenn Beck to me is – right on, Daddio! Glenn Beck is the result of my success.”
Sarah Palin: “Misunderstood and underestimated… I admire her. She’s got more of a backbone than any man in the Democratic party.”
Hillary Clinton: “Nurse Ratchet.”
Bill Clinton: [Does an imitation, to which Gangel says, “You’re bad.”]
George W. Bush: “He’s just the most decent, down-to-earth, real man you can ever hope to meet.”
She also asked about Glenn Beck: “Do you worry about the new guy on the block?” Said Rush: “No. 1988 – I’m the only national conservative voice. Now look at conserative media. Look what I have spawned. Glenn Beck to me is – right on, Daddio! Glenn Beck is the result of my success.”
She also asked him if he was a racist and a homophobe. He said no: “Are you a racist?” “No” “Are you a homophobe?” “No are you?” “No.” “Good then we’re both clear.”
On the media: “I know how to yank their chain – I know how to send ’em in to insanity – I know how to make them spend the next two days talking about me.”
On the media, redux: “The media didn’t make me and they can’t break me. They’ve been trying the same plays from their playbook for 21 years.”
On the Donovan McNabb comment: “It was a comment about the media…I said exactly what I meant, and if you want me to I’ll say it again.” [Describes the ESPN production meeting the day before, where “they’re all wringing their hands, what’s wrong with McNabb?” Rush said he said that he didn’t think anything was wrong per se, but that McNabb was overrated…according to Rush, he said in that meeting “I think McNabb is benefiting a little bit because social consciousness in the media – the league wants black quarterbacks to do well.”] Following up here: “I do believe that there is a lot of social consciousness racism in the media – sports media especially. I think they’re obsessed with it. And so I simply made that comment. But was not critical of McNabb because he’s black.”
On if he ever crosses a line: “Fifteen hours a day a week – no script, no guests, some phone calls thrown in – anyone who does that is gonna say some things, ‘Aah (snaps) I wish I hadn’t said that.’ But, you just come back and apologize for it.”
On whether a talk show host should have that much power? Rush disputed that he had that much power, but: “I believe in the free market. If the free market creates that, with my participation in it, then it is what it is.”
He also said he’d be happy to share a beer with Obama at the White House. Look for that on the upcoming Presidential schedule.
NBC, btw, is VERY excited about this interview (as they should be – its packed full of nuggets that all branches of media will be able to feast on for days) — but the branding on the videos below is a little much. We get it, it’s a Today Show exclusive! Good work by Gangel, she asked him about a LOT. Well-branded videos below:
