Rush Limbaugh Jay Leno Show: "Obama Is Polarizing," I'm Not

Conservative firebrand Rush Limbaugh appeared on "The Jay Leno Show" Thursday night in a hotly anticipated interview. The attention-seeking host denied being a polarizing figure. "Everybody agrees with me that listens to me," he said. "I'm not controversial at all ... Obama is polarizing ... Look at how divided this country is right now."

Asked by Leno if there was any way for Americans to bridge that divide, Limbaugh responded,"You give up what you believe in, agree with me, we'll get along."

Leno also tried to get Limbaugh to agree that Wall Street CEOs should not be making billions of dollars off schemes that hurt investors. Limbaugh strongly disagreed. "The market will fix itself," he said. "It's none of my business what they make, Jay, it's certainly none of yours, and it's certainly not Barack Obama's what anybody makes ... If you believe in the capitalist system, you have to erase from your whole worldview what somebody needs."

They did, however, come together on the subject of weight-loss -- both hosts shed pounds this summer.

Get HuffPost Politics On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[DontBeFoolish]

Not bad Jay, Nice try. But your too nice of a guy to interview that Devil. Were's Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermans or Rachel Maddows when you need'em?

[Eris23Skidoo]

As if Limbaugh would show his face on a show where there was a real interview. Remember, this is a guy who doesn't even have other people on his show lest someone credibly contradict him.

[tbonehead]

What's surprising about a drug addict losing weight?

[tbonehead]

Slobber radio jock!!!

[Friend-O]

"None of our Business" said the defender of crooks from his tiffany tower.

[Irishman40]

Crooks? what crooks are you talking about? It is not criminal to make a billion dollars in a year if you manage to convince people to buy your product or services.

Are you talking about the financial meltdown last year? Well that wasnt caused by wall street. That was caused by the government and groups like ACORN pressuring banks to give home loans to people who couldnt afford to pay the mortgages on the loans. Those bad loans then infected the financial system through a device called the credit default swap, which banks implemented to try to reduce the risk to themselves. What drove the financial system into gridlock was that banks became afraid to lend each other money because no one knew (not even the banks themselves) who had bad loans.

But again, the financial train was set on a course for disaster by the US government courtesy of Barney Frank and Bill Clinton

[Querent]

If you continue to hum to yourself loudly enough, and keep your fingers firmly in your ears, you will be able to keep believing your fact-free rationalizations. But that's the only way anybody could do it.

[Dinsdale77]

Irishman... I hope you're just blind, and not completely selfish (trying to give your types the benefit of the doubt, still... for some reason).

Blaming Barney Frank and Bill Clinton... and not offering up any right wing legislation mixed in, proves you're a dumb lamb. Wake up man! Look into the Graham bill that was passed in 1999, 'cause it doesn't sound like you have. Was Enron and Worldcom Barny Frank's fault?... please.

Bad home loans were a problem, but I'd rather see screw ups trying to help American families than legislation deliberately aimed at this moronic, decades-old idea of letting everyone do what they want.... "capitalism"... and that however anyone chooses to make money... especially those with incredible power in the marketplace... is "none of our business".

If this is your definition of "Partiotic"... your a pathetic excuse for an American.

[Eris23Skidoo]

It actually is criminal if your products or services are illegal. All that deregulation did was legalize something that ought to be illegal. If you have a problem with drug kingpins making billions, you ought to have a problem with the banks & insurance companies ripping everyone off. But then you're a right winger so you probably don't care.

[Clayton139]

You had your 8 years to Meltdown the USA and the Middle Class and you all done it RUSH !

[Irishman40]

Democrats were the party primarily responsible for melting down the US financial system. Not republicans or wall street. The meltdown occurred due to bad mortgage loans forced on mortgage lenders by freddy mac and fanny mae courtesy of Barney Frank, bill clinton and the Community Reinvestment Act (passed by a democratic congress during the clinton years) . Those bad loans then infected the financial system and caused the credit freeze. Bush actually tried to get the lending practices changed to reduce the financial risk that banks were bing forced to bear but congress (which was controlled by democrats at the time) prevented him from doing so.

[Querent]

So derivatives, credit default swaps, and deregulation had nothing to do with it. And nothing the Bush administration did was responsible for any of it. Even you don't believe that.

[dlvme2]

Why is everyone against Leno having this man on his show? It does not mean that he agrees with him. It is a chance for many to hear this man's views, which I never listen to him so it gave me more insight into how he thinks. We may not agree with someone's views, but to pretend that they do not exist or to not actually hear what their views are does not make them go away. When we listen to an opposing view it gives us a chance to repute it, think about it etc. When things are one-sided and only one view is heard that is when many things get restricted that should not be.

[BrickSykes]

Main problem with that is that all the 'opposing views' you speak of ARE INVENTED! These are 'items' that don't exist and are presented by the likes of Limbaugh/B­eck/Hannit­y for the purpose of creating FEAR AND ANGER in the Right Wing!

Remember! The "OPPOSING VIEWS" are INVENTED!

Brick

[Irishman40]

Invented? what the heck are you talking about? Capitalism is not make believe. It actually works everywhere its been tried. I agree with rush, it is nobody's business how much anybody else makes. If a Corporation's trustees want to pay a CEO 1 billion dollars a year, its nobodies busines but the shareholders. If the shareholders dont like it, then they can vote the trustee's and the CEO out.

[steve12]

As one who has listened to Limbaugh since the 80s every time that I want my blood pressure to rise, I have to agree. It is good to see what an ideologue that he is. People need to know how extreme this guy is that don't necessarily read Huffington Post.

[BillLaimbeer]

Guys and gals, I think I just found the gunman on the grassy knoll who shot JFK. It's Dlvme2. Now please take some time out of your day to listen to my views and gain some insight to how I think. You may find my arguements baseless, asinine, racist, offensive etc., but pretending I don't hold this view will not make it go away. I want to give you a chance to repute it, think about it etc. It's not fair to dismiss my ravings in favor of more sane viewpoints, because it's a slippery slope towards speech repression.

[ThanksMatt]

How the division can be overcome? Agree with me and all will be just fine! says Limbaugh.

OMG! OMG! OMG!

And then he really thinks Obama, who is bending backwards and sidewards to find common ground with people is polarizing?

What d ru gs is Limbaugh on? And did he notice that the majority are not his listerners and do not at all agree with him? What a de lusi onal, sorry person this is!

[Clayton139]

I Agree !

[Irishman40]

Well I heard a lot of audience clapping and roars of approval from the audience with regards to rush's statements. So the crowd seemed to agree with him.

[BillLaimbeer]

"You tell me 50 million screaming fans are never wrong, I tell you 50 millions screaming fans are $#%ing morons!"

[Hallucinocynic]

Why Leno would give ANY time to this miscreant is beyond question.

"If you believe in the capitalist system, you have to erase from your whole worldview what somebody needs."

He neither understands just how diverse capitalism can be, or that there are NO RULES that insist that a capitalist system be left alone to its own devices.

This simplistic, uneducated, fascist shill represents the worst in humanity. Anybody who believes anything he says is, likewise, simplistic, uneducated and blindered.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/24/rush-limbaugh-jay-leno-sh_n_299190.html

[TheGripester]

Ratings. Pure and simple.

[Irishman40]

No there arent any rules insisting that capitalsim be left alone. However, it works best when the government is minimally intrusive. Capitalism does have its flaws. Every economic system does. However, history has shown that it provides far more goods and services to more people than any other system thats ever been tried. Both capitalism and socialism have been tried in the real world. Pure socialism fails miserably (see USSR, China, South America). Europe has a mixed system about 50/50 capitalistic vs socialistic (the capitalist side of the economy provides funds for the parasitic socialist side) which is why they have had unemployment at or near 10% for the past 10 years.

The usa has mostly capitalist system. about 80/20. Until this year our unemployment rate was around 5% for the past 10 years.

The only involvement the government should have in the system is preventing monopolies from arising and keeping the money supply stable. Competition will handle the rest

[Dinsdale77]

Oh, so we should "prevent monopolies from arising" but not mess with big insurance companies... or even try to prevent companies to take money from middle of the road investments and invest it in slip shot crap?... wow, you can talk reeeeal good.

[BillLaimbeer]

You're right again Irish! Child labor laws, living wages, mandatory lunch breaks, maternity leave, workman's comp., environmental protection regulation, weekends, it's all for the parasitic socialist birds! I've always dreamed of working in a sweatshop for 16 hours to earn 10 cents a day and being forced to wear a diaper so I don't get fired for going to the bathroom. It's capitalism baby!

[ssgman]

I knew Leno was a repub but having Limpbow on his show??!!

I haven't seen Leno's show but that was just indifference. I will now actively avoid anything Leno.

[gthang91582]

Leno is far from being a Republican. What would give you that idea?

I think (just like Limbaugh) Leno was interested in getting some ratings. He had a few clear opportunities to call Limbaugh out, but that's not his style, unfortunately.

[applescruff]

And another thing, It sure reveals the ratings desperation of Leno to give this man any more attention then is required. If the black death were a curiosity and ratings draw would Leno be arranging ways for his viewers to be infested with it?

[dlvme2]

Whether you agree with someone or not it is good to hear their point of view.

[applescruff]

Tell that to the Jews of Pre WWII Europe.

[Wide Stance]

http://pssht.com/biography/rush_limbaugh.html

Rush is a self-loathing homosexual....

[rikki52b]

Black Beauties now Rush?

[melinita]

And that was my last Jay Leno show.We don't needed to give more time to super ultra haters.The Libaugh.Beck's ,Hannity's etc hate this country when their ilk isn't in power.So bye,bye Leno for me.Melinita

[blues101]

Actually, i thought the same and then i realized that if Leno had been tough like Jon Stewart, he would have made the big phat baby cry. If you're gonna invite the h aters to your show, dress them down and expose them for the low self-esteem w ussies and co wards they are. Show limpie's audience that like the wise and powerful wizard of oz, he's a fake. Then i'd forgive a late night host for making me gag at his guest choices and interrupting my peaceful evening entertainment. If these small people knew they'd have it tough - imagine him on olbermann's or rachel's shows - they'd never show up.

[Abner Dwight]

Limbaugh VS Stewart. Now that's a death match i cant afford to miss. I just listened to 1 hr of Linbaugh (his p-cast at sept 21), though he has good claims at first, when i looked deeper, they're bullcrap (I don't have to look that hard either.)

Another fact is that this guy is also making a killing, a-lot of ad in his websites, an hour and a half of radio ads and paid subscription to his poscasts. It's honestly obscene for a commentator. (i know that Stewart does the same, but at least you can go to their website and view them for free.)

He's a very firm man though, I'll applaud him for that.

[SimianNation]

Leno has now be relegated to my "kiddies table". Does Leno feel that he has to compete with Letterman's political support? And if so, why the hell would he bring that junkie sot on his show? Oh, that junkie sot is the Party of Obstruction's leader....

[wafuu]

"The market will fix itself." OUCH!

[Jayk4444]

Historically that is true - letting market forces work and the market will seek equilibrium. The stimulus spending takes away some of the 'hurt' TEMPORARILY- the banks who took too much risk should not have been allowed to fail. Now, taxpayers have to absorb the risk - not the banks - and pay with our dollars or reduction in other resources to pay that off.

[blues101]

Those investors, close to retirement, or those needing those long-term investments to pay for college were almost wiped out. Some were. Many cannot follow through with those plans, and don't have time to wait for the princes of wall street to find the balance they destroyed with greed. They put off retirement, have lost all the gains, and are actually in the red. So if GW were allowed to make retirees gamble their savings in the market, or had listened to Jim Cramer yelling BUY BUY BUY - and they're out on the curbs in front of their kids' homes with tin cups selling pencils- they wouldn't have time to wait for The Fickle Finger of Fate or jim cramer or history to help them now.

[waiteman]

The market does not fix itself. The people with the money control it, manipulate it to the risk of everyone else. It is a nice way the wealthy have found to make themselves wealthier. Capitalism depends on having a large labor market to draw from so they can keep wages ergo costs down. This is perfect time for corporations. The stock market is rising as our unemployment figures go up. Look at the figures since Reagan started the deregulating savings and loans, which has morphed into deregulation of every financial market we have Wages stagnated, labor unions under attack, health care is a money making machine, 14,000,000 people out of work, it goes on - unregulated capitalism does not work. The advantage always goes to the most wealthy. Do some research on the depression - The only ones left standing were the most wealthy and the blow down effect to the rest of the nation was devastating. I didn't see JP Morgan start any jobs projects out of the goodness of his heart. Just like today's wealthy - they don't give a crap as long as they are able to make more money than they can possibly spend in a lifetime. Fricking libertarians.