Limbaugh Misquotes Constitution During CPAC Speech

During his much-discussed keynote address at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday, Rush Limbaugh accused Barack Obama of pursuing the "bastardization of the U.S. Constitution."

It was one of the more politically acidic notes in a speech defined by rambling political assaults. But the conservative talk show host wasn't exactly standing on firm footing. Just a few moments earlier he himself had actually -- not theoretically -- "bastardized" the Constitution by confusing it with the Declaration of Independence.

From Limbaugh's speech:

We want every American to be the best he or she chooses to be. We recognize that we are all individuals. We love and revere our founding documents, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. [Applause] We believe that the preamble to the Constitution contains an inarguable truth that we are all endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights, among them life. [Applause] Liberty, Freedom. [Applause] And the pursuit of happiness. [Applause] Those of you watching at home may wonder why this is being applauded. We conservatives think all three are under assault. [Applause] Thank you. Thank you.

Limbaugh, it seems, meant to say "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," which, of course, is in the Declaration of Independence. Just to be sure, however, the Constitutional Accountability Center compared his remarks to the Constitution's preamble, and didn't find a match.

Here is the Constitution's Preamble: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

In the end, of course, Limbaugh's gaffe was just that: a rhetorical hiccup in an otherwise long (the speech went on for 90 minutes) and brash address. Still, in the process of accusing Obama for a lack of reverence of the Constitution, it would have undoubtedly served him better to have properly recognized the Constitution himself.

Comments

[ppearson2005]

He should have memorized the French Declaration......it is much easier to remember....it is something like........

STORM THE BASTILLE........................

[jillyber98]

It is obvious that Rush has much more class than many of the posters I've read here. It's so easy for you to point the finger the other direction but never at all speak up about any of the negativness on the Liberal sidelines. Rush is a patriot and he loves his country. Put the kool aid down, turn the cartoons off , turn Rush on and you may actually learn something.

[sonwinks]

The fact that you appear to be support Rush, tells us all we need to know.
You are very much in the minority.....

[RageCage]

Typical lib response. Just supporting Rush is reason enough to be shunned on these boards. It doesn't even matter that (I'm willing to bet) most people here don't listen to Rush on a daily basis and only get quotes from sites like these and Media Matters.

My point is you can't possibly listen to his program for a week and reach the conclusion that he is an evil hatemonger who wants this country to fail. There's just no way any sane, logical person could reach that conclusion by giving him an honest, open-minded listen.

[andrushka]

"Rush is a patriot and he loves his country"! Well hoping that President Obama fails in his efforts to straigthen up the mess that Bush and Co left after years of mismanagement does NOT sound patriotic to me nor a sign that he loves his country. Obviously you and I have a different conception about patriotism.

[LeftRight]

oh....... kay!!! First, the man was making a speech where he was complaining that someone else was butchering the Constitution, and then he butchered the Constitution!

Second, the man makes up "facts" all the time, so I doubt that I could learn anything from him, except how to tell when he's lying.

Third, the man has NO class! He calls women who ask for equality in the workplace "feminazis", he called the Dixie Chicks TRAITORS for daring to say that they didn't like the President, and people like him (and who listen to him regularly!) have called me a traitor for refusing to rise during the National Anthem, and yet when I ask them how long they served their country, I find that less than 10% of them have, compared to my own six years in the US Navy!

[jse17]

If only this ex-disc jockey could have succeeded at S. E. Missouri State College past his first year academic dismissal, who knows what would have resulted! This intellectual champion of the GOP is the perfect spokesman however for the muddled masses that fervently absorb his every syllable and never miss a NASCAR event!

Are we certain that democracy is an effective form of governance!

[parkerfly38]

Be careful, there are liberals that like NASCAR, too. Promoting stereotypes makes you on level with those you'd criticize.

[OMG1]

Really.... saying Limbaugh is the south end of a horse headed north is somehow more offensive than some of the other thing I read on here. OK he is a horses a**.

[OMG1]

Limbag is the south end of a horse walking north.

[FSM]

That's what happens when you give a microphone to a gluttonous druggie welfare queen.

[SensibleJoe]

Limbaugh and his ilk want to destroy what the Constitution *and* the Declaration of Independence stand for, so it's not surprising they wouldn't be able to quote from either, or distinguish the two, correctly.

[RageCage]

Do you actually think the creators of our Constitution would agree with the likes of Obama, Reid, and Pelosi? You actually believe Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, or James Madison would side with liberals over conservatives?

[MAH1952]

Yoiu might try reading the Federalist Papers (written by those early communists Madison, Hamilton, etc.). You might be suprised that from George Washington ( that early Marxist-Leninist who started this country on its downward slide) had to say about foreign entanglements. But then again, as a follower of Rush you might read Adam Smith, while he is not American he does talk about economics.

[born68]

That's the beauty of the Constitution, it doesn't adhere to one "side." If it did, there would still be a lot of crap going on in this nation that would impede the Constitution's promise of forming a more perfect union.

It's not about sides, it's about doing the right thing and figuring out what that is and how to implement it. Those men (Adams, Jefferson, Madison) lived in a different time. Their issues are unique to their times just as these times are unique to ours. The Constitution evolves as our country does, all for the betterment of EVERYONE.

[parkerfly38]

I expect the Founders put together the Constitution as a forward-looking document. That's the problem with "strict Constitutionalists", you want to apply the context of the 18th Century to the 21st. We're not wearing powdered wigs and driving horse-drawn carriages to work. I'd go futher, but just that you included Hamilton in that list indicates that I don't think you exactly know what you're talking about, which is usually par for the course. Given his penchant for a strong, centralized FEDERAL government, I think you and he would have less in common than you think. But who am I? GOP nitwits are the only ones allowed to summon the spectre of the Founders, whether correct or not.

Personally, as great as I think the Founders were, I think their heads would explode even before they got to the part where they chose between progressives and conservatives.

[rixter1965]

All those memos now surfacing from the Bush administration regarding ignoring the Constitution and its Bill of Rights in times of crisis suggest Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison would nto have stood up and applauded.

[LeftRight]

First, the founders recognized that times change, and therefore they did not expect us to follow everything EXACTLY as they had done. This is the major fault with "strict constitutionalists" is that they don't understand that times change.

Second, out of the fathers that you listed, you named three of the MOST liberal ones that were there, so yeah, based on their writings, I would think that they would ALL THREE agree with President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Reid.

Third, how did you feel when bush and the REPUBLICAN led Congress broke the Constitution?? I don't recall hearing any "strict constitutionalists" complaining then!!

[liberalbug]

Limbaugh misquoted the preamble because he couldn't read it seeing as the republicans spent the last 8 years crapping all over it.

[TarzaninChrist]

I love how the only thing that can be criticized in a 90 minute speech is the fact that Rush made a small mistake. Not to mention it came from a speech that was not written in which he was very passionate towards this country, expressing views that benefit everyone including the people on this page.
I am sure on any given day if you asked rush which speech "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" came from, he could answer it as fast as if you asked his own name. What is it with the lack of cutting people slack these days who make mistakes, liberal or conservative. Everyone talks about by-partisanship so much yet they can't wait to bash someone over some dumb topic. True by-partisanship is a unity that starts with understanding and letting little things role off your shoulders with the intent to prevent tiresome squabbling.

[parkerfly38]

I guess, then, you've listened to his show, and your omitted paragraph would have indicated that Rush Limbaugh is a primary proponent of tiresome squabbling.

[LeftRight]

It's FAR from the only criticism. However, this post is about the fact that Rush had been giving a speech where he accused the Constitutional Scholar President Barack Obama is not knowing the Constitution, and then claimed to quote from it, while actually MISQUOTING a completely DIFFERENT document!!!!

This is like me saying that you don't understand the Rush Limbaugh show, and then quoting Stephanie Miller (incorrectly!) as evidence of that!

[kcgeezer]

For a party that doesn't care much about the consititution except for the 2nd amendment misquoting the document is no surprise.

[msblkwidow]

To Jim Kramer from "Mad Money": "And the wall's come tumbling down". Walls...get it? No pun intended. "It is easier for a camel to climb through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God".

Times up for the rich thieves, rich swindlers, the rich liars, haters. It's the least of these who you need to apologize and offer help. I believe it must be wonderful to be rich; but not if it causes damnation.

Today on Hardball, Jim Kramer looked really scared...almost teary. HE must be losing BIG.

BTW, I choose not to listen to Rush Limbaugh on the radio; but, I'll be hogwashed and tied; I've had to listen to the Rush/Steele story about him for two days maybe three in a row on my favorite cable news channels and on my favorite blog. Oh well.

[msblkwidow]

Why are so many republicans afraid of Rush Limbaugh. He's a crazy drug addict. They are actually weak people -just ask the number of people in rehab. Rush never made it to rehab that's why I know he is the weakest link -the reason for his childish rants. He needs to go in "Time-out"

Tom Delay said it best about the republican party today on "Hardball". He said, "The left has put together the most powerful coalition I've seen in a lifetime", We [the republicans] have nothing like this and noone's talking about putting together the kind of communications...coalitions...But the president is going to fail".

Now how stupid does this make Tom Delay and Rush Limbaug?. The republicans have a lot of work to do. And...Steele's new idea of bringing on rappers is going to fail.lol

[mozeovr]

also, observe the tiny nose on this massive bundle of nastiness...could it be....

[mozeovr]

so much anger, rage, and hate this man puts out there every day. i know from self observation, all those emotions are easy to tap into and put out there, all that negative energy, and unfortunately also easy to hear and respond to. much harder to create the opposite, especially in these times, but we need to practice it to balance the dark souls with their poisonous energy, like limbaugh, rove, coulter.... these are self-loathing narcissists (per Garafalo) and they're hard to ignore, but i'm really really gonna try to tap into the laughter, love and generosity that i know i have in reserve. frankly, i don't know what else to do. incidentally, Arianna has made an important point that the serious attention needs to be turned to rove, not limbaugh, as the true guiding force, the Machiavelli.

[JNagarya]

America-haters -- and I include right-wing gun-nuts in that characterization -- are constantly trying to substitute the "Declaration of Independence" -- which has never been law, and which they've never read -- for the Constitution. Because, they falsely believe, the "Declaration" justifies revolution/overthrow of the gov't. It does not. And the Constitution expressly stipulates that one purpose for the militia is to "suppress Insurrections" -- no "right of revolution".

[jotunloki]

The Constitution does not establish purposes of militia, it designates reasons for calling forth the militia, to whit "to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions". This does not mean that those are the only possible reasons for militias. However, we no longer have militias in this country, the National Guard does not met the description as it is directly under the control of the President as an integral part of the Armed Forces.

[NMdonkey]

HP, if you're going to run articles about Rush Limbaugh, please refrain from posting photos of him-- or at least offer readers the option to click on a link if they want to look at this hideous excuse of a human being. I was interested in the content of the article, but now having seen the accompanying photograph, I have lost my interest in food for the next several days.

[JodyMcg]

Rush Limbaugh Diet. Post a picture of Rush on your fridge. Dry heaves to follow.

[TheAnti-Bush]

I totally agree, no more photos. If I see that clip of him jumping up and down like an ape in mating season one more time, I'm going to puke!