Limbaugh Defends AIG From "Lynch Mob ... Ginned Up By Obama"

Anger at American International Group knows no party lines. But one top Republican isn't joining in. On Monday and Tuesday, Rush Limbaugh defended the insurance giant and their bonus payouts:

"A lynch mob is expanding: the peasants with their pitchforks surrounding the corporate headquarters of AIG, demanding heads. Death threats are pouring in. All of this being ginned up by the Obama administration."

When one of his own callers said he agreed with President Obama on this one, Limbaugh replied: "Let me ask you a question. ... You have a company -- let's take AIG out of this 'cause they're so emotionally charged. Let's say that the company being bailed out is the XYZ Widget Company. ... We need them to manufacture widgets and sell widgets and so forth. So why in the world -- or how do you get to the point where you're going to bail out the company, but you don't want the employees to get paid?"

The caller protested that the AIG employees were already getting paid plenty, and Limbaugh responded that the only thing stopping him from making just as much was himself:

LIMBAUGH: Do you know what? And I mean this from the bottom of my heart, Nathan -- the only person stopping you is you. There's 250 -- he hung up. Damn it, he hung up. Right?

Nathan, if you're -- there's $250,000 out there for you, Nathan. If you really want it, you really want to earn that kind of money, it's out there. Now, it's going to -- and don't -- I'm not being insulting -- it's going to take hard work.

Read the full transcript at Media Matters.

The AIG defense led MSNBC's Keith Olbermann to name Limbaugh, not for the first time, his "Worst Person In The World" Tuesday night. Watch:

Comments

[achyke]

Rush is the 'anus' through which the GOP speaks

[georgiegirl]

Rush, why don't you just climb back in that whole you came from.....y­ou are a piece of work.

[Vivuldi]

These "bonuses" were paid as a part of "retention" program. Translation: bonus is not an equivalent of salary -- these people are being paid just well enough and the 7-figure bonuses are just on top of what they are already making. Second, the aim is to keep the talent, hence the retention bonus. Uhhh what? "talent?" Alright, here's a thing, a lot of these execs happened to be from the Credit Default Swap finance department who were directly blamed for the current dilemma that AIG is facing right now (along with those goons in London department, long story). Oh heck, with that in mind, why not "let them GO," how about that? No talent clown who kept issuing CDS without assessing what the hell they were writing these papers for should be working for this company.

In either case, they are still being paid these bonuses for their failure which is why people are outraged and it's not feigned. If the company was thriving, then I would say, all power to those execs but they are not yet they are sucking the blood out of our tax money. Even if you want to be generous about the bonuses, how about pay them in "stocks"?" You know, that would defeat the whole pervasive incentive of direct pay and would coerce these execs to actually turn around the company and their reward would be higher stock prices.

[ctman47]

Rush to American taxpayers

S&**%w you!

[s miller08]

Keith needs to update his Boss Limbaugh picture. He's about 60 pounds heavier now.

[mapleaforever]

Hoggbaugh.

[ramal]

King of the Pig People.

[zendome]

Well, I guess if anyone would know about Gin and lynch mobs, it'd be Limbaugh.

[doriath22]

Anyone for pitchforks and torches at 'ol Rusty's compound?

[Eris23Skidoo]

Count me in!

[Slapmewhenitsover]

As usual, Rush plays fast and loose with facts.

Why do people even listen to him?

Oh yeah, so they don't have to think for themselves.

Such a taxing enterprise that thinking stuff.

[AbstractImp]

No, I don't think it's in Obama's heritage to call out lynch mobs, mister "southern white gentleman" . . .

You can see plainly that Limbaugh's idea of life is to make as much money as you can, and no restrictions. All restrictions are bad.

Isn't that how the Union Pacific Railroad got started . . . ? The Robber Barons . . . ? The Carpet Baggers . . . ?

I guess history does repeat itself . . . Or at least the Republicans do . . . !

[in4success]

just go ahead and have another dish of pasta so you'll explode once and for all

[milman1]

Let's speed it up, here's some scripts and stripper willing to marry you.

[nettyspagetti]

and add some metamucil to that pasta

[mapleaforever]

A BIG bowl of uncooked rice would do it.

BOOM!

[indy girl]

No, just a wafer-thin mint should do it.

[HuffJo]

LOL!!!!

Get me a bucket...I­'m gonna throw up!

[rachel2012]

people had been lynch-mobbed for FAR FAR FAR FAR LESS by bigots from which you were spawned

[Meteor]

Limblast needs to go on the cookie diet.

[UltraClassic]

All this manufactured ourage is nothing but a smoke screen for the current and future failings of Obama and crew and the democrat party. It's as obvious as the nose on your face. These bonuses are a drop in the bucket and don't amount to a hill of beans in the big picture.

Oh , BTW, if you people are so torqued off about this, you should start with Dodd. Don't blame George Bush, don't blame Jena Bush and don't blame Laura Bush.

You got the ball democrats. What you gonna do now cowboys?

[hortonhearsawho2]

Cheap Whine any way you bottle it, A**wipe...

[FinancialRefugee]

Now that we have a leftist administration, it's fashionable to use citations to back up your claims. Can you please cite references in support of your accusations? The days of the rant are rather over. We're actually trying to prove our points now - it's tough, but surely a smart guy like you can do it.

[exPatPatti]

Right. You republicans, in power for decades have systematically reconstructed America and undermined the financial markets through deregulation and nonregulation have the NERVE to blame a man who has been in office less than 60 days for failing the economy.

SMH

You short sighted, greedy, compassionless, obstructionist republicans are the most ignorant, selfish, immature and disgraceful bunch of people in America and the results of your folly and that of your leader exaulted, W, is out there for all the world to see.

It will be a long time before you imbrciles have any power again. So get used to the cheap seats.

[mapleaforever]

I guess you haven't noticed but all the (fake) cowboys left in January.

[skatscan]

Looks like someone got the GOP talking point of the day e-mailed to him.

[rachel2012]

a "lynch mob", really? a LYNCH MOB? do you really want to go there, Rush?