The Genius of Rush Limbaugh

Whether you love the man or can’t stand him, there’s no question about Rush Limbaugh’s genius. After all, who else but a genius could get away with the same shtick all these years, masquerading as a conservative and ridiculing anyone and everyone who doesn’t agree with him? From scientists who study global warming to American GIs who disagree with U.S. military policy in the Middle East, no one is safe from his vitriolic barbs, unless of course you happen to be right of center. William F. Buckley must be turning in his grave.

So how does he do it? For starters, Rush deserves an Oscar for turning in the performance of a lifetime as an angry white male who’s mad as hell and isn’t going to take it anymore. But if his listeners, 72% of whom are men, thought about it, they might wonder what someone who makes $50 million a year has to be angry about? You also have to marvel at the way he still occupies high moral ground, considering he’s been married four times and scarfed down oxycodone for years while publicly condemning drug abuse.

Colleagues who knew Rush back in the day remember a young man who bounced from job to job. One former co-worker from his early days in radio remembered when Rush had little or no following. Struggling for ratings, Rush made an inflammatory, off-the-cuff comment on the air and presto…the lights on the station switchboard started flashing. Being the cagey fellow that he is, Rush quickly connected the dots. Controversy sells, and the more outrageous his comments the higher the ratings.

So, what’s his real appeal? Fear has always been a big seller, especially with people who are most comfortable with simplistic explanations. Rush makes it alright for his listeners to cling to their personal biases. When his mouth gets him into trouble, he shrugs it off with “that’s not what I meant.” Instead, he should come right out and tell it like it is: “I meant exactly what I said and by the way, I’ve made a damn good living playing with you nitwits.”

For now it’s the same old same old and it seems that in his pursuit of the almighty dollar, it’s no longer enough for him to polarize Americans. When Rush recently insulted the president of China by mocking President Hu Jintao’s speech as sounding like “ching chong, ching chong cha,” he insulted the Chinese people. On the world stage, Rush Limbaugh embodies the ugly American. But if you listen closely, you can hear Sean Hannity’s footsteps gaining ground on the genius.