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

[ohnoyoudidnot!]

Rahm Emmanuel gave Rush too much credit Sunday morning when he called Limbaugh the "intellectual head" of the GOP.

[EgyptianMysterySchool]

It was a set up - he's pushing them into a box that's far too small to include the majority of Americans.

[VivaZapata]

maybe he is the intellectual head of the GOP. in fact maybe his annoying noise is all they've got.

[imusintheevening]

There was a time (before "no child left behind") when any 4th grader would know "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" was in the Declaration of Independence, not the Constitution. How sad that anyone giving a speech to a political audience would get such a foundational quote wrong. All I can think is Rush must be an illegal alien!

[tokenconservative]

I guess we all have Ted Kennedy and his stupid NorthEastern gentry liberal ilk to thank for that, yes?

[juanjo]

Not in California, Token my friend. It was the Republicans and Ronald Reagan who defunded elementary and high schools on the local level through Proposition 13 and higher education on the state level through cuts in educational funding. They are the ones who destroyed what was once the finest educational system in the United States.

As for Ted Kennedy, as i recall he was the one who cooperated with GW Bush on the "no child left behind" fiasco. Then Bush screwed him on not cooperating on the funding necessary to fully implement the programs mandated under the legislation.

[imusintheevening]

NO, actually, it is not Senator Kennedy's fault that Republican's slashed funding for education.

How do you figure that "the NorthEastern gentry" is stupid? Have you ever looked at per capita education levels by region? Massachusetts, California and the DC area have the highest. I take it you are not from one of the higher education regions.

[drklassen]

There's a whole generation of us who can recite it in full---but only if we're allowed to sing it.

Schoolhouse Rock was pure genius!

[livesinreality]

It's just Rush being a total pin head, "Damn the TRUTH and full MISLEADINGS ahead" The new repub logo.

[rosal]

New? They have used the logo for over 30 years.

[AndSoItGoes]

That is exactly right. Have just been thinking that during the whole campaign it is the Repubs MO to keep focus on rants, personality conflicts, untruths about issues, etc. just to keep the attention off the party and their absolute lack of solutions and vision for a positive future for all Americans. They absolutely cannot govern.

[instarx]

Actually it would be a motto.

[poobah]

It has always been a mystery to me how men can feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow beings.
Mohandas Gandhi

We should all pray for Rush and hope that he sees the error of his ways lol

[dsws]

Honor schmonor. Bottom line, I don't want Rush to succeed in his quest to have the rest of us fail at averting economic and environmental catastrophe.

[PandJonB]

Rush is doing a great job for his party. Isn't he guys. I vote that we make Rush the head of the GOP, this way they'll never get elected again.

[RobHughey]

I'm all for it! :)

[PoliticalCrave]

Really, why is it you are going to get on his case for not misquoting but giving the wrong section of the document when Obama decides that funding bank bailouts are constitutional. Please tell me where it is the job of the President to bail out bad decisions of private companies?

[Will Rhodes]

Yet you say what you say and yet do not say anything about when Rush went after Biden for making a gaffe - now why would that be?

[Annieke]

And where in the US Constitution does it say 'the federal government will not bail-out banks'?

in order to secure domestic tranquility, it is vital that the economic sector stays in business and that people can keep, as much as possible, their job.
This again is needed for their pursuit of happiness.

I think Obama is following the US Constitution quiet literally and more power to him for that.
After eight years of trampling on and the raping of the US Constitution by Bush and his cronies, this is a refreshing and much needed change.

[instarx]

So you're concerned about the government giving loans to banks being unconstitutional. Where were you when the previous President decided he had the authority to arrest Americans without warrants and put them in prison indefinitely without charges?

[mommom]

Last I looked the Declaration of Independance and the Constitution of the United States were two differnt documents.

[Harmony1812]

He didn't even quote the Constitution. It was from the Declaration of Independence.

[truthynesslover]

Rush isnt stupid but he knows the people who listen to him are and treats them accordingly.

[Harmony1812]

He knows that some people think that the louder someone is the more they shuld be listened to. And boy, is he loud.

[parkerfly38]

I wonder if he, in fact, deafened himself.

[Carbonman]

If Republicans want to win, QUIT F$%^ING EVERYTHING UP. A war against a country that was disarmed in 1992. Turning a $400,000,000,000 surplus into a $1,200,000,000,000 yearly deficit. And denying responsibility while claiming to be the party of personal responsibility. etc..... etc...

[Harmony1812]

The Repugs didn't even include it in their budget. Pitiful. Now they will say about all the "debt" Obama has incurred when it is only that he is counting the war and Katrina.

[Harmony1812]

"personal responsibility" is what Repugs ignore when talking about covering up personal indiscritions

[labman57]

The GOP has become the party of "no we can't, and neither can you".

So long as they continue to embrace the counter-productive, mean-spirited, spiteful, malicious doctrines and pronouncements of the likes of Limbaugh, Coulter, Palin, Steele, and the clowns on FOX News, the majority of the American public will say "thanks, but no thanks" to the Republican Party.

[nance72]

The repubs motto, "I've got mine TO HELL WITH YOU !"

[john95]

Rush Limbaugh and the GOP for decades were so superior to the democrats that they would destroy the democrats politically because democrats were so soft spoken and naively kind and didn't have a clue about how the country would react to their moves. Obama is the smartest politician the world has ever seen, and he is playing limbaugh like a guitar. Obama's agenda will help the American people and the rich.

[magic3400]

Archie Bunker (aka Rush Limbaugh) just signed a new radio deal for $400,000,000.00, can somebody please tell why is he so worried if I, (my best year under Bush was $48,000.00), benefit from universal healthcare, or get my power from a company that will use renewable energy or if Detroit sells me a car that gets 70 mile per gallon. Not a single piece of legislation that get passed this year will have ANY effect on the lifestyle of one Mr. Archie Bunker.

So I asked this question, why is he so angry?

[evaesthetic]

Because he doesn't want to give up any of that sweet, sweet payday to taxes (ie, he wants to live in this country, benefit wildly, and give nothing back). And don't you know that people who aren't rich are just bad people, lazy, and not worthy of any help? If they were REAL MURIKANS, they would pull themselves up by their bootstraps and make lots of money, you know, like the good people.

[petef59]

I thought Rush helped write the Constitutuion.

[OdaNobunaga]

You misheard. He wipes his a$$ with it.

[jcollell]

Oh come on. Did anyone actually think that Rush Limbaugh knows what he is talking about, especially when it comes to the Constitution?

http://www.youspar.com/

[reasonshouldrule]

Rush's error here is typical but more benign than usual. For the most part, he spouts lies and calls them facts--and many of those "errors" are much more damaging than his confusion about the Constitution.

[pangurban]

He should not have bragged about not needing a telprompter. Obviously he did.

[labman57]

Limbaugh's philosophy is a common one among the loudest louts of the far right. He, O'Reilly, Hannity, etc. couldn't care less whether what they espouse is factually accurate. All that matters is whether or not they can SELL it.

[Harmony1812]

Too bad that many people are buying it.

[parkerfly38]

I'm not sure that they're consequential, given President Obama's approval ratings.

[LadyMorgain]

It doesn't matter that he "mis-spoke"...the GOP doesn't care. No matter what that man says, they will believe him. It just doesn't matter what type of hate inspired speak he says...they love him. It scares me and makes me sick at the same time.