Laurie Penny

Pop culture, politics and feminism

Rush Limbaugh: a vicious clown

When somebody is paid to say the worst possible thing, it allows someone else to say the next worst

By Laurie Penny Published 09 March 2012 17:20

Before I arrived in the United States, I thought that Rush Limbaugh was a special American legend, like the headless horseman, or meritocracy.

Before this week, I thought the real Rush Limbaugh -- bile-spitting Conservative radio wingnut, professional despiser of women, workers and minorities and peddler of frothing crypto-fascist hatespeech to millions of listeners -- had long ago imploded under the pressure of his own hot air.

I thought of Limbaugh as a fairytale, the sort that liberal parents use to frighten their children into eating up all their alfalfa. It turns out that the beast is alive and embarrassing Republicans everywhere by saying what they really think about women in plain, paranoid English.

This week, Limbaugh launched a four-day attack on Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke, who testified before Congress to the effect that all Americans should have the right to affordable birth control, even if their bosses object to it on religious grounds.

Limbaugh called her a slut and a prostitute and wondered aloud how she could walk after all the sex she must be having.

The torrent of misogynist abuse was vile enough that advertisers scrambled to pull funding from Limbaugh's show, convinced by many of the millions of Americans who believe that no woman should be ashamed of wanting to live in the 21st century that the ultra-right pundit had finally "gone too far".

Too far, however is where Limbaugh is paid to go -- he is a cartoon monster, and that's precisely what makes him so dangerous. The trouble with cartoon monsters is that noone quite believes they're real.

Pundits as viciously hysterical as Rush Limbaugh -- and I do mean literally hysterical, "womb-crazy", driven spitting nuts by the notion of women's icky, sticky bodies becoming a known and open part of the political process -- pundits like that have only one real political function. They are decoys. they make a loud noise and a dirty flash and draw our eyes slightly to the right of where the real attack is coming from.

This week, as American right-wingers rushed to disavow the tone of Limbaugh's attack, they have barely been pulled up for backing up its substance. Commentators like Monica Charen got clean away with saying that Limbaugh's "choice of words was crude but that I certainly understood and sympathized with the point he was making."

The left has been drawn into defending the personal attack on Fluke's reputation -- and not the political attack on millions of American women in the anti-contraceptive, anti-sex backlash which is infecting public discourse on both sides of the Atlantic.

When somebody is paid to say the worst possible thing, it allows someone else to say the next worst thing and sound sane.

That's the real danger here, for women and for everyone else who believes in real sexual equality. In an apology so half-arsed it needed a special chair made for it at the misogyny table, Limbaugh said that he had not meant "a personal attack" on Ms Fluke, but noted that " I personally do not agree that American citizens should pay for these social activities."

By "social activities", he means women having sex without fear of pregnancy, and by "pay for", he means "allow to continue without a government crackdown".

Limbaugh's essential point -- that women and girls who want the right to affordable contraception are prostitutes, that women who use contraception are sluts who should be ashamed of themselves -- remains largely unchallenged.

Americans call this a "war on women", but only one side appears to be putting up a fight.

Tags: Republicans

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125 comments

Fri, 2012-07-20 10:39 — Fruse (not verified)

perhaps you'd like to opt out of state funded schools unless you have kids? no NHS unless you're ill? no armed forces unless you want to go to war, no state funded road maintenance if you don't have a car etc etc.

Thu, 2012-07-12 16:24 — scarymaze (not verified)

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Wed, 2012-07-04 08:44 — Alexandre (not verified)

Mr. Limbaugh sees himself as a thinker as well as a showman. But his barbed advocacy of right-wing causes has distinguished him since he first emerged as a talk-radio sensation in the mid-1980s.

Sat, 2012-04-28 22:28 — Buinkilia (not verified)

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Wed, 2012-04-04 21:19 — John Cheese (not verified)

@Sir Michael: Taxpayers should also pay for my health club membership & tennis equipment & massages & yoga classes- right? All in good health you fool...This 30 yr old "student" activist was put up to this to push all focus on US Social issues & take the focus off of 0bummer's failed policies. From all accounts, the US public has figured this fake outrage out, it is not an issue anymore & Rush's sponsors are just about all back in place...

Wed, 2012-04-04 21:15 — John Cheese (not verified)

Thu, 2012-03-08 18:11 — jankaas (not verified)

"I'd like to kick lardass Limbaugh right up his fat ass."

damn. now there's a true surprise. but credit where credit's due, well said Buckskins.

Sat, 2012-03-10 10:38 — jankaas (not verified)

"Why should I share the cost? Why do I not have the option not to?"

why Qaswdefrgt? because this is a human health issue. you are human aren't you? or perhaps you think sex is something only other people do, or shouldn't do? which may be true judging from your petty little post.

so perhaps you'd like to opt out of state funded schools unless you have kids? no NHS unless you're ill? no armed forces unless you want to go to war, no state funded road maintenance if you don't have a car etc etc

perhaps you should just go live on your own on a deserted island somewhere...or just accept that when 50% of our society can;t go without something then we should share the cost, especially as it prevents a far greater cost which you would still have to pay your share of. it really is that simple Qaswdefrgt; do you want to pay a little or a lot?

capice?

Wed, 2012-03-07 21:40 — willoyen

Limbaugh said that he had not meant "a personal attack" on Ms Fluke, but noted that " I personally do not agree that American citizens should pay for these social activities."
ugh! what utter sickly cowardly hypocrisy. Even Judas had the decency to hang himself. Limbaugh might... for the right price...

Wed, 2012-03-07 21:49 — Explain please (not verified)

Clearly Rush said something awful, but beyond the insulting words, please can someone explain what is the essential issue? Is he saying that the state should not pay for contraceptives? If yes, what is exactly wrong with it?

Fri, 2012-03-16 22:26 — Rftgyhuji (not verified)

No, I'm pointing out it's hypothetical.
One can also argue about resources themselves, because societies resources are private taxpayers money and not societies to do with as they wish.
The people who have looked out for me are meant to (family) the others simply respond to contracts, I doubt very much they they care tuppance otherwise.
Your notion of society is merely a selfish expression of your desire to be in charge of other people covered by florid self aggrandising language. You are not in charge (jackass, it's not up to you to allow any organisation to do anything) and do not have any right to tell others what they should spend their money on, or even worse spend it for them.

The advice still stands, take responsibility for your own life and pay your own way.

Wed, 2012-03-07 21:57 — Explain please (not verified)

I never been to Rush site, until today and this is what he says

--------------

Two of the sponsors who have canceled have asked to return. We are being very careful about that. Not gonna give you any names here. One of them is practically begging to come back. Everything is fine on the business side. Everything's cool.
-------------------------

He is quite insane, but why does LP have a tendency to brush the right with a taint, when nobody in the right cares who Rush is; until left hypes some crank up?

PS: LP, could you please explain your editor one of these days? Cattle and all that.

Mon, 2012-03-12 12:12 — Silican (not verified)

Crypto-fascist? There's nothing cryptic about it, unless you expect him to have a swastika tattooed on his forehead.

Sun, 2012-03-11 12:00 — jankaas (not verified)

"One would assume they should consider the consequences of their actions and amend their actions accordingly."

like i said yesterday, if your parents had known that their quickie would have turned into the dickhead that is you, your mum would have just sucked your dad off instead.

but it is obvious from your whining drivel that you should just go live on your own somewhere, far away from modern progressive society.

Sun, 2012-03-18 17:36 — jankaas (not verified)

"It's a spammer"

i know what you mean Sir M, but i don't think that's what's going on. this Lindberg person suddenly parachuted into that old Santorum thread with text sort of relevant to what was going on and that very same link too. the relevance of said link was pointed out by andyg, who btw is off my christmas list for good. things there took a turn for the worse a few days ago.
it's been a good while since i've been so disappointed by another poster.
ttfn.

Sun, 2012-03-18 17:46 — jankaas (not verified)

"No jackass, you have not explained anything between appearing ignorant and throwing insults."

lol. since the term "jackass" is an insult one can only conclude you don't have the luxury to merely 'appear' ignorant, you 'are' ignorant...
....and of course impotent when it comes to a well aimed insult. but you're a jolly good target, so it's not all bad news, chin up! you do have a chin don't you..?

Wed, 2012-03-07 22:34 — Mrs.Josephine Hyde-Hartley (not verified)

But having a flourishing private life isn't really a "social activity" is it? That's why it's probably more sensible to let poor old employers of the hook and get the government to pay for birth control one way or another in this context, I dare say. They could do with an NHS over there, obviously.

After all, one's private life has clearly nothing to do with work, has it?

Sat, 2012-03-17 20:42 — Sir Michael (not verified)

"I would approach the police expecting them to do their job, paid for by my taxes as is the rest of what you describe. I am quite happy to pay for them, they do benefit me."

You must pay a LOT of tax if you personally pay enough to cover a police force, court system, legislators, and prison service.

If you don't you are a massive hypocrite by the way.

Of course, those who want contraception who also pay tax are allowed to say that it's a worthy thing to spend tax on, as they benefit from that. Or are taxes only acceptable if they are things *you*, in your infinite wisdom, consider worthy projects?

Sun, 2012-03-11 12:38 — Sir Michael (not verified)

"How does one get pregnant whilst sick having sex with oneself?"

You can't.

Look, when a mummy bird and a daddy bird, who love each other very much...

Wed, 2012-03-07 23:09 — Lox (not verified)

Limbaugh's a professional clown and a nasty piece of work, granted. But James Delingpole's a much better writer than you, Laurie: more articulate and a hundred times wittier. And I doubt if he takes himself as seriously as you do.

Wed, 2012-03-07 23:11 — jankaas (not verified)

"What did you go for again? if you're just reheating well-worn stories from old blogs, couldn't you have done it from home?"

v funny Spud. indeed that's no way to justify an expense account.

Sun, 2012-03-11 12:58 — Hghyujik (not verified)

Oh poor jankass he or she is using 'shaming' language and should not. I blame the patriarchy.

Poor poor thick little jankass.

Tue, 2012-03-13 00:00 — Roger Dodger (not verified)

For clarity, what Rush said was
"This woman is asking us to pay for her to have sex, what do we call woman who want that? Does that not mean she is a slut, a prostitute, doesn't that make us the johns?"

He apologised a week later.

Am I the only one that finds a 30 year old student in the. It's indebted nation in the history of the world asking for the health system to pay for her contraception just a little but silly?

Perhaps.

Fri, 2012-03-16 23:18 — jankaas (not verified)

"jackass"

ffs, piss off you cretinous bore. i refer you to the pornographic insult i previously wrote to you;
if your parents had known that their quickie would have turned into the dickhead that is you, your mum would have just sucked your dad off instead.

Mon, 2012-03-12 13:54 — jankaas (not verified)

"Oh poor jankass he or she is using 'shaming' language and should not."

stop crying you whimp. stop proving my point for me that you are just a waste of life and your parents should have used free NHS contraception to prevent you.

Sun, 2012-03-18 19:06 — Fgthyj (not verified)

Oh Sir michael you appear to have not noticed all of jackass' prior purple statements, What a surprise and I don't think it is an 'insult' pointing out your dubious comparisons, providing descriptions of jackass' posts or the tortuous special pleading you invoke.
A donkey is a rather noble creature, loyal, hardworking and dependable. I can see why you think that is an insult and in no way describes you at all.

Sat, 2012-03-17 23:42 — jankaas (not verified)

"It simply does not require the government to fund contraceptives to allow me to own something."

ffs. you keep imagining that society could be delineated just to suit your personal needs and desires. look it's really quite simple if you don't like it; you either have to get other like minded simpletons to get involved to get things changed, or, you fuck off to that deserted island where you'll be in appropriate company.

"society in general, made up as it is of individuals taking responsibility for themselves."

which is merely your deplorable definition of society. what a monstrous dystopian ideal, suitable only for sociopaths and masochists, or those born into power, privilege and wealth. which of those describes you?

Thu, 2012-03-08 03:19 — John Cheese (not verified)

What manufactured outrage! Fluke is a 30 yr old activist taking on a Catholic Univ about healthcare policy for birth control. She was ID'd rather quickly by Rush- too friggin bad! No lefty is screaming for Bill Maher or Huffington Post to shut their traps about Bachmann, Palin or Coulter. Typical leftie dribble...

Sat, 2012-03-10 13:37 — Sophie (not verified)

Spot on. Great piece

Sat, 2012-03-17 00:28 — Tyhujik (not verified)

Yes I ignored your success of showing yourself to be a low class vulgar offensive degenerate. Please refrain from proving the point all over again.

You do yourself no favours and will hardly develop in character, intellect and spirit if you continue such activity. You have my sympathies

Thu, 2012-03-08 05:15 — Martha Bridegam (not verified)

Such a good point about Limbaugh as inoculator. I used to know a Sacramento (California) homeless-rights activist whose guiding principle was, "When you go to see the Mayor, always take along someone crazier than you are."

Sun, 2012-03-18 19:46 — Sir Michael (not verified)

"I don't think it is an 'insult' pointing out your dubious comparisons"

Making excuses for ones own behaviour while criticising others for doing the exact same thing?

This shows exactly how it is you have no problem saying that taxes should be paid on the things you personally believe in yet decry taxes being spent on things you dislike as being an afront to liberty.

Intellectually dishonest, even with yourself... but I do have a feeling you know the truth of it, hence the rattle throwing.

Thu, 2012-03-08 20:10 — SDobbie (not verified)

Excellent analysis. Love your conclusion. Women unite and fight this insanity.

Sat, 2012-03-10 13:56 — ben walker (not verified)

This issue is too ironic for words.

The right wingers are essentially crying foul over health insurance, provided by _private companies_, being able to include contraception in their staff health insurance packages.

This is a service that the employee _pays_ for, it is a part of their pay. IF, in the circumstances that an employer objects on religious grounds to its provision, the bill states that other insurance providers will provide it instead, in other words, that an employer can not stop their employee from receiving contraception as part of their health scheme just because of their religious proclivities.

This seems like an unfettered free market at work. The Republican party has been captured by the Right-wing Christian block to such an extent that religious mores trump the cardinal rule of this political party. Gotta laugh, eh?

Sun, 2012-03-18 01:54 — Fgrtyhuj (not verified)

You two should hold hands, the first synapse in either of your lives would be created.

Yes people who wish free pills can argue for them, it's just as you two show, they don't do a very good job, let's face it the police and law enforcement are nothing like the pill and Ms Fluck.
My infinite wisdom? Now which people are describing a society that they wish to control.....remind me again?

Sun, 2012-03-18 02:20 — Sir Michael (not verified)

I give up. If reality isn't going to effect your view then a random poster on a blog reel isn't going to have any impact at all.

Just please, don't use the internet I helped subsidise with my taxes if you have a problem with that sort of thing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Internet

Since this socialist construct is against every principle in your exceedingly principled political dogma I understand you'll want to avoid using it from now on. So I guess this is goodbye. Best of luck to you in the future.

Sat, 2012-03-17 02:33 — Sir Michael (not verified)

"The advice still stands, take responsibility for your own life and pay your own way."

And when someone decides to simply take what you have? Survival of the fittest, they are taking responsibility. Looking out for themselves and taking from you. If you lack the strength to resist then you deserve to lose your wealth to them no?

Tue, 2012-03-13 22:55 — Fgtyhuj (not verified)

No society depends on individual responsibility, something some on this thread seem incapable of understanding. Probably because they are incapable of it themselves.

Although I do love the notion of social morality expressed as 'do as I think and say or we will cause you even more trouble' the idiot left, never lacking in classlessness.

Sun, 2012-03-18 08:46 — LindbergMarley

If someone came and stole some of your precious money would you stick to your principles and accept that as the market correcting itself? Or would you complain about your "rights" being violated. Would you approach the police paid for by other people? Ask them to prosecute the thief in courts paid for by other people, under laws fought for by other people, and then the offender held in a prison paid for by other people? http://www.lifeinsurancehq.org/

Sun, 2012-03-18 09:20 — jankaas (not verified)

" Now which people are describing a society that they wish to control.....remind me again?"

no. this has been explained. several times. go read back through the posts. no, not your own, those are shite.
not my fault you still don't know what a modern secular society is, how a net benefit to that society functions, nor what democracy is or how voting works. it's all been explained, and not so much as a 'thank you' either. tut tut...

Sun, 2012-03-18 09:26 — jankaas (not verified)

@LindbergMarley

why do you post this insurance link?
why did you post the same insurance link when you suddenly joined the Santorum thread that had been running for weeks?
why have you not replied there to my post?
is there any point trying to respond to your posts..?

Sun, 2012-03-18 20:55 — jankaas (not verified)

"I can see why you think that is an insult and in no way describes you at all.":

pfffffttt.....like i said; you're better at receiving that giving.

Tue, 2012-03-13 23:22 — Sir Michael (not verified)

"No society depends on individual responsibility, something some on this thread seem incapable of understanding. Probably because they are incapable of it themselves."

Stupid statement. You're completely self-educated? At age 4, you sought out your own knowledge, and paid teachers out of your own pocket? I don't think you did. I'd have heard about it on the news.

I think you were born in a hospital paid for by other people, delivered by doctors trained and paid for by other people. I think your parents poured untold resources into your hungry mouth. I think you had a roof over your head that was paid for by other people, I think you went to schools that were built and staffed and paid for by other people, I think you felt safe because the streets were patrolled by other people, I think you drove to your three jobs on roads paved by other people, in a car built by other people and burning oil that was drilled by other people in a nation whose borders were defended by other people.

I think that you are sending your idiocy down cables laid by other people, and are halariously unself-aware of how big an idiot you really are.

Thu, 2012-03-15 21:22 — Fgrthyju (not verified)

Oh Joy, our unwell hypothetical pill buyer is now cured but sadly is too poor to buy contraceptives, well I suppose the are many jobs where you are not paid enough to buy condoms...oh no there are not. And the relevance of this to Ms Fluck is?....none whatsoever.

And jackass returns, as foul and uneducated as ever. (s)he appears to have missed the irony of abusing others as 'moralisers' whilst telling all who will listen how they should behave, and then proceed to act the imbecile and do it again.

Still laughing at you little miss nasty, and we can all see from you rather vile and somewhat socially handicapped manner why you have failed in life and expect others to pay.

Sun, 2012-03-11 16:39 — TG (not verified)

The irony of a journalist calling out the falsehood of meritocracy is quite rich. We all know UK journalism is a back scratching Oxbridge love in...

But more importantly, misogyny (as someone earlier pointed out) is not limited to the Conservative Right. A more daring and original article would also attack the Left who belittled a young lady for getting pregnant in her teens. But that's all fine and dandy because she's the daughter of a Republican Senator, right? Or perhaps bring up some of the sexual harassment apparent at various Occupy protests.

But of course people have their careers to think about! Turning a blind eye to crimes committed by your 'side' is necessary to get up that ladder.

It reminds me of that old saying popular during the Cold War regarding brutal dictatorships that the US and UK supported because they weren't communist: 'He may be a bastard, but he's our bastard.'

Yours,

a cynical liberal.

Tue, 2012-03-13 11:50 — Sir Michael (not verified)

"Am I the only one that finds a 30 year old student in the. It's indebted nation in the history of the world asking for the health system to pay for her contraception just a little but silly?"

You think it would be cheaper to ask the welfare system to pay for her kids then?

Society depends on collective responsibility and looking after each other. If you accept the tenets of society (right to property, right to individual freedoms and protections) then you have to be willing to sacrifice something for that.

If not - that's fine too. Just don't expect people to sit down and accept their lot in life. And I don't mean "work harder" either - people can just take what they want too.

Fri, 2012-03-09 19:09 — E Hart (not verified)

Limbaugh - like all people who believe in their own press and prescience - will fly too close to the sun.

Thu, 2012-03-08 22:19 — Stuart (not verified)

For a very interesting take on this story read this by the economist Steve Landsburg (and read any of his other blogs as they always make you think - which is exactly what you want from a blog really).

http://www.thebigquestions.com/2012/03/02/rush-to-judgment/

Limburgh may or may not be a clown but the argument about whether women should have contraceptives subsidized is a far more fascinating idea than some political spat.

Thu, 2012-03-08 22:25 — jankaas (not verified)

since half the population is female, and they do seem to want to decide about their own bodies, what do you possibly think you are supposed to bring to this question? or are you genuinely bothered whether a woman purely chooses contraception for health reasons, or just to shag around a bit, or a mix of whatever you can imagine?

Thu, 2012-03-15 13:43 — jankaas (not verified)

"It is not being a miser wishing to not spend under threats the fruits of my labour on people who should pay for their own contraception which is after all very cheap."

so you're not a miser despite contraception being "very cheap"....lol

"I'm moralising!"
yes, that is exactly what you are doing. otherwise why did you refer to "personal probity"?

"It does not benefit the part of society who pay the money, only those who do not."
nonsense. this was explained to you several times, not going over this again.

"You are free to do as you wish in your life"
no i am not you idiot, and nor are you. if you want to be part of a modern society then you will just have to accept that some of your tax goes on things you either will never personally benefit from, or, do not personally approve of.

so stop moaning or piss off to an island somewhere.