Rush Limbaugh, the iconic conservative radio talk-show host, passed away today after a long battle with lung cancer. He was 70-years-old.
Growing up in a sea of liberal media, with an occasional spattering of conservative talk from the likes of Barry Farber, Limbaugh was to me a breath of fresh air. The typical conservative genuflected to liberal sacred cows and was almost apologetic for expressing dissent. Not so with Limbaugh. He burst onto the American scene with a positive, no-holds-barred, up-tempo view of politics from the Right. Quite obviously, an enormous amount of other Americans reacted as I did, and in short order, Limbaugh became the number one talk-show host in America.
Not only did Limbaugh wield enormous political influence, he was a voice of comfort in dark times and was always a source of great information and entertainment. He had that rare ability to simplify complex issues, to connect with a wide range of listeners, and to hold an audience’s attention for extended periods of time. Of course, since anybody to the right of Fidel Castro is evil incarnate to a liberal, Limbaugh was hated by the Left, but even that was a compliment to Limbaugh’s talents. The Left hated him precisely because he was so effective. He, and others inspired by his achievements, kept the Left from dominating the airwaves and was a rallying point for conservatives everywhere.
Rush, you will be sorely missed. May you rest in peace and may the influence you wielded reverberate for generations to come.
