Will Congress Condemn Rush For What He Said Yesterday?

In recent days the Senate and then the House voted to condemn MoveOn for an ad that questioned General Petraeus' statistics on improvements in Iraq. Many Democrats joined in the condemnation.

Yesterday Rush Limbaugh said that troops serving in Iraq are "phony soldiers." From Media Matters - Limbaugh: Service members who support U.S. withdrawal are "phony soldiers"

Where are the Democrats who voted to condemn MoveOn? Why are they not demanding a vote to condemn Limbaugh for this? The Carpetbagger Report also wants to know.

Update - Considering that the Congress JUST voted to condemn MoveOn, there are a LOT of upset people. New additions, Crooks and Liars, Down With Tyranny, Cliff Schecter, TalkLeft, AmericaBlog, Digby (with a list of similar comments from Rush - all as yet not condemned by the Congress)

Follow Dave Johnson on Twitter: www.twitter.com/dcjohnson

Comments

[Mack20]

06:30 PM on 09/28/2007

I find it amusing how much you people are paying attention to Rush. 99.9% of you never listen to his show. But obviously you assign some poor 20 something dupe to listen everyday. Must be a horrible job for you young left wingers. I wonder how many of them have been converted?

Dave, I noticed your links are all pointing to liberal web sites. Don’t you want anyone to hear what was said from Attila himself? Just in case you care, here is his site. Feel free to hear what was really said or be really brave and read the transcript. Go to www.rushlimbaugh.com. There is a risk associated with doing this. You might be converted. Remember what Winston Churchill said: If your not a liberal at age 20 you don't have a heart. If your not a conservative by age 40 you don't have a brain. Look, listen, read and learn liberals.

[ihavenobias]

09:51 AM on 09/29/2007

Actually, a lot of the liberal websites actually PLAY the clip and or have the transcript.

In fact, Media Matters always allows you to hear or see (when applicable) what was said.

As for liberal links on the issue, here's a good one:

theyoungturks.com/story/2007/9/21/11024/4829

[GoodwithWood]

11:07 AM on 09/29/2007

I had a job where the shop radio was tuned to these AM hate radio stations. I had to listen to Rush unwillingly. I found him and other neo-con commentators to be very divisive, hateful, deceptive and annoying. The extreme levels of deception and out right lying are flabbergasting. These ass holes only serve to divide the US and do nothing to help us. I really believe that they are ripping this nation apart and are one of the major contributors to the downfall of the US empire.
Rush is a hatemonger and a betrayer of us all.

GWW

[richw23]

04:13 PM on 09/28/2007

I don't really mind. I think all that crap about 'sense of the congress' is just that, crap. They look stupid for condeming moveon.org, now they'll look even more stupid if they don't condemn Rush. But they look stupid as well for condemening people for exercising free speech evey whip stitch.

So I say horray for making congress look even more stupid!!! A long time ago people believed 'The truth shall set you free'. Hopefully seeing the truth about these morons will help.

Remember when the Smothers Brothers did the routine about the "less-ons" and the "more-ons"? So scandalous. What innocent times.

[Mack20]

05:53 PM on 09/28/2007

Way to go Rich. 90% of what congress does, no matter who runs it, is to look good, pander to voters and ultimately get re-elected. TERM LIMITS is all we need.

[richw23]

03:42 PM on 09/29/2007

Dude, I'd rather not have your approval. It makes me feel slimy.

[richw23]

04:07 PM on 09/29/2007

BTW, I was in the army from 69 to 71. I heard what Rush said. Men and women who do their duty and then speak their mind when they are private citizens are patriots. Those who do their duty and slavishly follow the voice of authority without question may be soldiers, but if they stop thinking for themselves from there on out they are useless as Americans.

Except for the disaster it would cause, I'd like to see what happens if all the "phony" soldiers just refuse to serve anymore.

[zjr909]

03:34 PM on 09/28/2007

Rush & Co ALWAYS leave themselves room to weasel out. You know what the Repubs would say if the Dems tried to put a resolution before them condemning Limbaugh? They'd remind everyone that, technically, grunts are not allowed to express any opinion contrary to the official military position. Theirs is to do and/or die - period. Cannon fodder should be seen and not heard (but NOT seen once they're blown away). It's all as sickening and hypocritical as it can be. It's like Lieberman accusing Senator Webb of "sniping at the heels of the soldiers" when he introduced a resolution to give the soldiers more down time. Does it get any more disgusting?

[laocoon]

05:39 PM on 09/28/2007

and exactly why we should never allow congress to make a general above the reproach of a citizen.

[dolphinlikr]

01:35 PM on 09/28/2007

Rush is only a tool as is Hannity and Jeff Gannon. They will say or do anything that will make Daddy happy. Hippocracy runs rampant and unfettered with this group. Unfortunately, they have a large and strong voice. The first amendent shouldn't be stepped on by people like Cornyn r-tex with resolutions condemning the free speech rights of Moveon.org. It was a waste of precious time, but it passed. More time should taken to end the war and not to attack people want it stopped.

[ajax2]

12:50 PM on 09/28/2007

They will not, Harry Reid will not allow it.

[Sidewhispers]

12:33 PM on 09/28/2007

What do you call Democrats on the issues people voted them in on? Republicans

[sadamerican2]

12:19 PM on 09/28/2007

Its shocking to realize that the U.S. Congress has violated our Constitutional right to freedom of speech by voting on resolutions to intimidate the nations citizens from criticising the government! No matter who the citizen(or citizen group) is, and no matter if one agrees or dissagrees with what they say, the Congress HAS NO BUSINESS WHATEVER in even considering, let alone passing, resolutions intended to restrict freedom of speech. These are sad days for America.

[SensibleAmerican]

12:36 PM on 09/28/2007

Excellent question! But the answer is probably not! Fake indignation and anger are the hallmarks of right wing politics. Not to mention sheer hypocrisy!
Comedian and ex drug addict Limbaugh is a major right wing water carrier

You do the math ...

[laocoon]

05:44 PM on 09/28/2007

i always hear he is a comedian and listen in hopes he will say something funny. Still waiting. Why does anyone call him a comedian.

[wingnutslayer]

12:01 PM on 09/28/2007

Congress is proving to be just as cowardly as the Rush O'Hannity gasbags. The conservative pundits and their push-button patriotism have really done a job on all of us. And because a minority of hidebound non-thinkers continue to drool over every word spewed by George W.'s Pravda people, we're forced to have to listen to this obvious, Hermann Goering inspired, garbage every blessed day. "Tell the people that they are under attack and call anyone not with you cowardly and unpatriotic." That's how Hitler gained control, not by military coup. What a fine tradition these grotesque wastes of skin are paying tribute to. "You can fool some of the people all of the time". The very existence of GWB in the White House proves that beyond a shadow of a doubt. We call these people Reshrublicans.

[cowboyjerkface]

11:35 AM on 09/28/2007

There is one thing I really admire about democrats here on Huffpost....we have no problem calling out our democrat politicians and telling them what we think. You go over to redstate.com or some right wing trash rack and you will see no disent from the party mantra. No matter what a republican does or says their sheep will never say a word against them. Another reason I thank my lucky stars I was born with the ability to reason and not follow the pack. I might think the democrats in office are spineless sniveling weasels but at least it feels good to know that we do not walk lock step with our party. Man its great not to be a mindless republican!

[salespud]

11:47 AM on 09/28/2007

Us Democratd sure are the smartest...Us Democrats sure do "get it". Us democrats sure know what idiots the Repukelicans are. Us Democrats sure do hold our politicians accountable. Us Democrats sure care more about the earth. Us Democrats sure sit in a circle and admire each other. (well...we also do other things in that circle)

[jvarga]

09:55 AM on 09/28/2007

No response yet from my Senators, but if they're like my Congressman then I don't anticipate ever getting one :P

[azpaull]

01:21 AM on 09/28/2007

I'm with Truthmongerer on this one. I wrote a letter to Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ)- who earlier today sent out an e-mail offering a marked-up copy of the MoveOn.org ad condemning the organization (not the ad) as "Anti-American" - suggesting that Congress either RESCIND their earlier resolutions or REVISE them to affirm the constitutional rights of MoveOn.org, Rush Limbaugh and everyone else to speak freely about the war and our nation's policies.

[jst418]

09:20 PM on 09/27/2007

Limbaugh: The Phony American!

[UpstateSC]

06:52 AM on 09/28/2007

Yes, he is a Phony American and so are the members of Congress who voted to condem the Moveon ad. Instead of condeming Rush, Congress should apologize for condeming Moveon. I disagree with Rush, but he has the right to spew his hatred - it's what others fought for - his right to free speech, Moveon's - all Americans - even the phony ones.

[laocoon]

05:49 PM on 09/28/2007

I agree. I think congress has clearly exceeded its authority and is specifically prohibited from attempting to chill the political speech of a citizen. this is our right and congress is usurping it. I think we all need to make that point to them emphatically or this is a true coup.

[MrLion]

08:45 PM on 09/27/2007

Short answer: no.

Beltway-based consultants will tell them, "but if you do that, you'll be perceived as "anti-troops."

[clevelandchick]

06:55 PM on 09/27/2007

If the Democrats voted to condemn Rush for his remarks about troops who protest the Iraq Occupation, the Mediacracy would work itself into a lather that the Democrats are trying to stifle the corpulent impotent gutless wonder's free speech.

According to the Media, It's Okay If A Republican Does It. But the national Democrats have let the media & GOP bully them into that corner. They have no guts.

Here in Ohio we've got a great Dem state rep named Hagan. When some down-state right wing yahoo introduced a bill to ban gays from adopting, he introduced a bill to ban Republicans from adopting. Both bills failed but Hagan's made the news and publicly embarrassed the state GOP.

I wish we had more Hagan's in Congress.

[Rethymniotis]

12:24 PM on 09/28/2007

I remember that little episode. Good on Hagan.

It's at times like these that I most look forward to a Senator Al Franken. If he were there today, he might sponsor a resolution like this:

"It is the sense of the Senate that Rush Limbaugh has a 1st Amendment right to call soldiers who oppose his views 'phony soldiers'."

Franken would be smart enough to leave it at that and let the GOPers debate it. He would not, I think, add the obvious second clause: "It is further the sense of the Senate that Rush Limbaugh is fat."

-- TP

[JimR]

06:52 PM on 09/27/2007

The Democrats in Congress, with a few exceptions, are pathetic spineless weasels.