Rush Limbaugh States The Obvious: “I Am Doing My Show For Ratings”

by Steve Krakauer | 1:55 pm, October 9th, 2009

» 8 comments

Radio superstar Rush Limbaugh sat down with NBC’s Today show correspondent Jamie Gangel for a two-part, wide-ranging interview beginning Monday morning.

One of the revelations from excerpts we received this afternoon: It’s all about the Benjamins, baby! Limbaugh likes his ratings, and his cash.

Gangel asks Limbaugh “Who are you doing your show for?” And he answers quite honestly:

My audience. For ratings. I will admit it. Let me shock the world right here on NBC. I am doing my show for ratings. I want the largest audience I can get because that’s how I can charge the highest advertising ratings – rates. Which means what else do I want? Money.

This could also be the reason why he’d sit down with an NBC reporter for a lengthy interview, when he’s bashed the network for a perceived liberal bias in the past. Today still draws a larger audience than any other morning show, and listeners Limbaugh certainly wouldn’t mind bringing over to his radio program.

More from Limbaugh, on what he’d say to Pres. Barack Obama if he had the chance:

I’d be honest with him. I’d be, look, the President of the United States is the President of the United States. He’s my President too. I want – you know, I want this country to succeed. And if he invited me up there to chat, I would owe him the dignity and honor of being honest.

A slightly different tune than his usual, “I hope he fails,” remarks, but again, this is NBC.

Limbaugh also talks about his battle with addiction during the interview. “I actually thank God for my addiction, because I learned more about myself in rehab than I would have ever learned otherwise,” he says.

—–
» Follow Steve Krakauer on Twitter

Jamie Gangel, NBC, Rush Limbaugh, Today Show

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Boyer/602168764 John Boyer

Does this even merit the front page?
m

I actually believe Limbaugh with that if he met the President 1 on 1 he’d be much more reasonable than “I hope he fails”. Usually people, when they know they have an audience, are sensationalist in their language and behavior. This applies to the internet as well as politics and just in general socially.
John53

This would come as surprise only to a liberal (progressive). The idea that you can be both disagree with a position and considerate at the same time is totally foreign to them. The are under the impression that they know what is right and that all should immediately bow to there advanced knowledge or they act like spoiled children and stomping their feet and whining. Being an adult is beyond their capability, maybe someday they will mature.
CaptainAmerica

Limbaugh isn’t scared to go on the left wing outlets. Neither is Bill O. And they lead in the ratings.

It’s small people like Obama who are afraid to go to a place that might actually challange them. Oh no, FNC isn’t kissing my butt 24/7 and Fox didn’t air one of them 20 prime time speeches. I won’t go to the network that beats CNN, MSNBC, HLN COMBINED in the ratings. Granted, they are almost split like the nation when it comes to viewership (conservatives/liberals/independents) but I don’t want to go on there and try and win anyone over because Fox won’t let me get away with my straight talking points all the other 10 outlets let me do.
m

> The idea that you can be both disagree with a position and considerate at the same time is totally foreign to them.

No. That’s why liberalism is connected to peace, trade, cooperation and understand in terms of international relations. There’s a reason why the United States is classified under the category “liberal democracy”. There’s a reason why all modern political ideologies, including socialists and conservatives, are all considered liberal. Liberalism, as an ideology, INVENTED non-violent political discourse in western thought. Having a political discussion is one of the most liberal things you can do in life.
ImNotBlue

RE: M

I just wish more “Liberals” believed that during the Bush Administration…
m

No liberals AFAIK brought guns to a Bush rally.
ImNotBlue

Maybe… and yet, how many of them were arrested for protesting violently… versus the Tea Party Protesters?

And PS- If you wear a shirt or carry poster that advocates killing the President, you’re still encouraging violence… aren’t you?

http://www.zombietime.com/us_out_of_iraq_now_sf_3-18-2007/IMG_2416.JPG