“El Rushbo”

Rush Limbaugh, the uber  radio talker, wants to own a team in the National Football League. Limbaugh is part of a group that is offering to buy the Saint Louis Rams. Limbaugh who has solid roots in Missouri is part of a group that is offering to spend upwards of $700 million to take control of the team.

While Limbaugh is revered by millions of his loyal “ditto heads”, he is reviled by many who feel his brand of conservatism is racist and misogynist. When asked about Limbaugh’s bid to own and NFL team , New York Jets’ star , Bart Scott and New York Giants’ star Mathias Kiwanuka are united in their opposition to Limbaugh’s ownership of an NFL team. Scott said in reference to Limbaugh, ” “I know I wouldn’t want to play for him. He’s a jerk. He’s an —. What he said (about Donovan McNabb) was inappropriate and insensitive, totally off-base. He could offer me whatever he wanted, I wouldn’t play for him. … I wouldn’t play for Rush Limbaugh. My principles are greater and I can’t be bought.”

DeMaurice  Smith ,the executive director of the National Football League Players Association, has joined with Scott and Kiwanuka in opposing Limbaugh’s bid to join the NFL fraternity. Smith is quoted as saying,“‘Sport in America is at its best when it unifies, gives all of us reason to cheer, and when it transcends.  Our sport does exactly that
when it overcomes division and rejects discrimination and hatred.” Smith is also urging other NFL players to speak out against Limbaugh’s bid to own the Rams.

If Rush becomes one of the owners of the Saint Louis Rams , it is possible that he might become a very different person. For example, former segregationist Governor George Wallace  threw off his past racist beliefs and became something of an advocate for African Americans in his later years.

In much the same way Rush may have an an epiphany and become an advocate for many of the people he has slammed in the past. Here are some of the innovations Rush might  bring to the NFL:

1. Rush’s team might hire the first female head coach in the NFL . In shedding his “Femi-Nazi” baggage Rush may follow in the footsteps of Oakland Raiders’ owner Al Davis who hired Art Shell as the first African American head coach in the NFL.

2 Rush might follow the example of the late Boston Celtic Coach Red Auerbach and field the first all African American team in the NFL.  All 22 of Rush’s Rams who start the game would be African American. His team would probably have an Hispanic place kicker.

3. There would be no drug testing of Rush’s Rams. As an admitted and adjudicated drug abuser , Rush would recognize that drug use is a personal issue and not a public issue.

4.Rush’s Rams would have the best  criminal lawyers  money can buy. Rush’s personal experience with the criminal justice system makes him sensitive to the needs  of persons caught up in the web of the American legal system.

5. Viagra would be the primary sponsor of the Limbaugh owned Saint Louis Rams. Rush would not need to slip the little blue pills into the country in his luggage as he once did. Rush would probably get free samples from the Rams’ sponsor.

It is obvious there is the possibility that  Rush Limbaugh might follow the example of Jerry Jones and  become the next transformational owner in the National Football League.

A few days after Al Gore issued his challenge to America to end the use of carbon fuels, I accidentally hit the “Rush Limbaugh button” on my car radio. While I am not one of Limbaugh’s “Ditto Heads” I do listen occasionally in order to understand some of the arguments of people on the far right”. On this day Rush was waxing eloquently on the outrageousness of Gore’s challenge.

Rush Challenges Gore

One of Limbaugh’s allegations against the Gore challenge is that the Chinese government will not curb their use of fossil fuels. Limbaugh’s suggests that economic growth is much more important to the Chinese than any imperative to halt environmental degradation.

Rush argues that since the Chinese will not end their carbon use, it is folly for the United States and other industrial nations to sacrifice their economies to preserve the planet for future generations. On top of that, Limbaugh says Gore’s science is “bunk”.

Foul Beijing Air

When the news came on at the top of the hour on the station, which carries Limbaugh, one of the lead stories concerned the bad air quality in Beijing just weeks before the Olympic Games begin. The Chinese government is taking drastic action to try to clear the air so that the fouled air will not harm athletes and spectators. The government has ordered the closing of construction sites and millions of Beijing drivers are being restricted to using their cars every other day.

The air is often thick with pollution in Beijing, a city of 11 million. When there is no rain or wind, ozone and fine dust accumulate, often to a rate that is two or three times the maximum levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The fine dust stems mainly from coal power plants and factories, while vehicle exhaust gases are responsible for the ozone. The city’s constant traffic jams have reduced the average speed of the cars on its streets from 45 kilometers per hour (28 miles per hour) in the past to only 12 today. Adding to the problem, more than 1,000 new cars are registered each day. ( Der Spiegel International)

Life vs. Economic Growth

Despite efforts to reduce pollution, the air quality in Beijing is still very poor. Questions are being raised about the impact of pollution on athletic performance. More importantly, there is concern regarding the long-term health consequences for both athletes and spectators. The Chinese government has virtually shut down much of the industrial, commercial, and transportation activities in Beijing. Despite these efforts the air quality is still poor.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that three quarters of a million Chinese die each year because of conditions resulting from polluted air. Despite this, the Chinese are adding more and more coal fired power plants. The Olympics however are raising the “bamboo curtain” on the Chinese government’s sacrifice of its own people for the sake of economic growth.

Gore is Right- Rush is Wrong

The Chinese believed that hosting the Olympics would be a way to highlight the significant economic growth and physical development it has achieved. Rather the fouled air in Beijing may cause nations of the world to insist that the Chinese take dramatic steps to reduce its carbon addiction.

Sustainable economic growth is much more likely to come from Gore’s challenge than Rush’s harangues.

Rush Limbaugh

Senator Hillary Clinton revived her campaign for the Democratic Party’s nomination for President of the United States with victories in Ohio, Rhode Island and Texas. Clinton’s campaign officials believe she won because of her relentless, hard-hitting, and intelligent efforts. But Rush Limbaugh thinks he is partially responsible for Clinton’s success.

For weeks now, Limbaugh, the “Grand Poobah” of conservative talk radio, has been urging his conservative audience to vote for Senator Clinton. In the states where Republicans and independents can vote in the Democratic primary he urged listeners to sabotage the Democrats by voting for Clinton. Limbaugh thinks the longer Senators Clinton and Obama are in a heated battle for their party’s nomination, the better the chance for Republican nominee John McCain to win in November.

Limbaugh praised Clinton’s “Three O’clock in the Morning” television ad that suggested that Clinton was much more ready to lead the nation in times of international crises. Limbaugh believes the more Democrats have to face the issues of national security and terrorism, the Republican nominee wins. He applauded Senator Clinton for suggesting that while she and Senator McCain had records of significant service to the nation, Senator Obama only had a speech. Not only does negative campaign rhetoric tear down Obama, but Limbaugh believes it divides Democrats in the November election.

Limbaugh is ‘elbowing” his way into the Democratic nomination battle also, because he simply despises the Clintons. For Limbaugh the Clintons, the former President and the current New York senator, are “evil incarnate.” Limbaugh’s critique of the Clintons is not just political but it is personal. Limbaugh led the chorus of conservative critics of the Clinton presidency. Almost anything Bill Clinton supported Rush opposed. He didn’t let go of the Whitewater investigations, the death of Vince Foster, and the Marc Rich pardon to name a few. The Monica Lewinsky/ Ken Starr situation was for Limbaugh the gift that kept on giving.

Limbaugh also believes that Senator Clinton is a much weaker candidate than Senator Obama in a run against McCain. He says that almost half of the American electorate tell pollsters that they would never vote for Clinton. Limbaugh says independent political groups will raise so much money to remind Americans of the scandals of the Clinton years that few will hear,” it’s the economy stupid“. Limbaugh thinks Senator Obama is a more formidable candidate because he does not have Clinton’s baggage and is youthful in appeal and appearance in contrast to McCain.

I am reminded that in the 1980 presidential primary, then President Jimmy Carter and his supporters were rooting for Ronald Reagan to win the Republican nomination. Reagan was after all just an actor. Reagan’s major foreign policy credential was attending Chaing Kai- shek’s funeral, as an official representative of the United States. Carter believed Reagan was a “right wing nut job” who he would beat easily in the November election. I am sure history will always remember Carter for underestimating the “Gipper”.

Is Hillary Clinton the Ronald Reagan of the 2008 election?

Or is Rush Limbaugh correct in supporting Clinton?

Vicki Iseman

Sen. John McCain, with his wife, Cindy

The New York Times published a “sensational story” on Wednesday, about an improper relationship between Arizona Senator John McCain and a female lobbyist. In the article, the Times says that members of McCain’s 2000 presidential campaign staff believed that McCain was having a romantic relationship with Vicki Iseman, a principal in the firm of Alcalde and Fay. McCain’s staff believed the relationship with Ms. Iseman was damaging the candidate’s future.

They believed the Senator was using his influence on behalf of Ms. Iseman and her clients in an improper fashion. They also felt that Ms. Iseman was using her relationship with Senator McCain to recruit and retain clients. Some of these staffers were so concerned that they felt the need to intervene with Ms. Iseman and “protect” McCain from himself.

Sex Sells

Chris Matthews, Wolf Blitzer and the other cable television “talking heads” have had a field day questioning both the New York Times and the McCain camp about whether the Senator did have a romantic relationship with the lobbyist. They are all looking for the proverbial “blue dress” to confirm the allegations contained in the Times story.

Senator McCain held a news conference Thursday morning in which he denied the allegations contained in the Times story. The McCain campaign surrogates complained the Times article was a “smear” and was without merit. Even McCain’s right wing enemies such as Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, and Brent Bozell are defending the senator against the left wing media. Limbaugh chastised McCain for not recognizing the left wing “drive by media” is out to destroy Republicans. (The Limbaugh Rant)

The Real Story is Not About Sex

Most of the pundits are analyzing the story about McCain and the lobbyist as a story about sexual impropriety. The idea the gruff sixty year old plus, war hero would be dallying with an attractive, young lobbyist is the stuff that Washington loves.

But this is not really a story about sex. It is a story about whether McCain used his office improperly to help a friend and supporter. It is also a story about whether the New York Times adhered to its own policies about the use of anonymous sources in publishing this story. The New Republic on Thursday gives some background to the Times story.

Finally and most important, the real issue here is why did McCain’s staff believe the relationship between the senator and Ms. Iseman was improper? The people who took action to “protect McCain from himself” were members of the senator’s staff. These were people who worked with the senator everyday. These were people who were working for McCain in his presidential campaign. John Weaver, a senior campaign staff member, at the time, admitted today that he met with Ms. Iseman and asked her to stay away from Senator McCain.

The real question for Senator McCain is, if the people who knew him best believed that he was violating the public trust, what should the rest of us  think?