Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh, who died today at age 70, visited Joplin July 4, 2011, as the city was recovering from the tornado that had struck six weeks earlier.
The decision to come to Joplin came while Limbaugh was conducting a contest on his radio program that allowed people to compete to have him bring a truckload of the brand of tea he was promoting to their communities.
While many of the people who entered the contest voted for their own communities, when Limbaugh announced Joplin as the winner, he noted that a great number of those who voted for Joplin were not from the city and said he would also come to Joplin.
The following post is reprinted from the July 2, 2011 Turner Report:
When Rush Limbaugh arrives Monday night at Landreth Park with a refrigerated truck full of tea, it won't just be because Joplin residents entered his contest.On his program Friday, which was aired locally on KZRG, Limbaugh said people from all over the country were suggesting that Limbaugh bring his "Two if By Tea" promotion to Joplin.
Initially, the promotion was only about the truck of tea, but Limbaugh decided to make the trip himself, as he explained to his listeners:
"As an added bonus I have decided that I am going to go. I'm gonna be there. We're gonna be part of the celebration, small part of it. They got two country bands, but I want to be part of this. I want to be in Joplin along with a lot of us from Two If By Tea.
"This really isn't about the tea. We're talking here about American exceptionalism. You ought to see some of the entries. Some of the entries we got were from people not in Joplin suggesting that we go to Joplin because of the tornado that literally wiped out two-thirds of the city. Literally wiped out two-thirds of Joplin, Missouri.
"And the people there have been working together as a community to rebuild. They haven't been complaining; they haven't been whining. They've been doing whatever they can on their own.
"You people in Joplin should know that people all over the country submitting entries suggested you instead of their own communities. Not everybody, but it was a hands-down, easy choice."
Limbaugh said he is scheduled to speak at approximately 8 p.m. "but don't worry, I'm not gonna take up a lot of time."
During the program, Limbaugh read one of the contest entries from Joplin:
"Joplin, Missouri's, most recent historical event was an EF5 tornado. Moments after the tornado ravaged the city of Joplin and surrounding areas on Sunday, May 22nd, 2011, our community set about doing what brave Americans do in times of catastrophe.
The forces of nature destroyed human lives, 158, homes, 8,000, and livelihoods as well, but moments after the tornado exited the east side of Joplin leaving only 70% of our community standing, our recovery began.
"The Fourth of July will have extra significance to Joplin as we proudly celebrate our American way of life and the resolve of our community to support the self-reliant people who are rebuilding their homes, rebuilding their businesses and their lives.
"The Fourth of July will have extra significance to Joplin as we proudly celebrate our American way of life and the resolve of our community to support the self-reliant people who are rebuilding their homes, rebuilding their businesses and their lives.
Only moments after the storm many volunteers have been in perpetual motion helping those who suffered losses. Someone questioned why so many people, famous, not so famous, have come from far and near to help.I believe Americans are compelled to offer assistance because, quote, "nothing feels as good as sacrificing to help others in need."
Another entry Limbaugh read:
"Dear Rush: Our town is an old mining town. We are on 'The Mother Road,' Route 66. We took on Bonnie and Clyde. We are a place of hometown values. If you drove around the sites damaged today, you couldn't go two steps without seeing a makeshift flagpole with an American flag waving beautifully in the wind.
Another entry Limbaugh read:
"Dear Rush: Our town is an old mining town. We are on 'The Mother Road,' Route 66. We took on Bonnie and Clyde. We are a place of hometown values. If you drove around the sites damaged today, you couldn't go two steps without seeing a makeshift flagpole with an American flag waving beautifully in the wind.
We embody the real hope and change the other side only thinks they are becoming. We may be a small town, but we're mighty in number, and it doesn't take a tornado to prove the American spirit that's always been among us.
Thank you for the chance to do something for the people who are too filled with humility to do it for themselves. Thanks, and God bless."
A third one read by Limbaugh:
"The people in the heartland are the hardest workers in the world. When the tornado hit Joplin, they wasted no time jumping in and taking care of whatever needed to be done. They didn't whine, they didn't wait, they didn't wonder why no one came," and, you know, folks, that's true. We all saw the pictures out of Joplin and we were just stunned at the devastation -- the satellite pictures before and after -- and there wasn't a lot of whining, even from the two people from the Rebuild Committee who happened to call the program here. Nobody was whining, and there wasn't any looting, and there wasn't any begging, and there wasn't any "Where's FEMA?"
A third one read by Limbaugh:
"The people in the heartland are the hardest workers in the world. When the tornado hit Joplin, they wasted no time jumping in and taking care of whatever needed to be done. They didn't whine, they didn't wait, they didn't wonder why no one came," and, you know, folks, that's true. We all saw the pictures out of Joplin and we were just stunned at the devastation -- the satellite pictures before and after -- and there wasn't a lot of whining, even from the two people from the Rebuild Committee who happened to call the program here. Nobody was whining, and there wasn't any looting, and there wasn't any begging, and there wasn't any "Where's FEMA?"
None of this changes the fact that Rush Limbaugh was a sentient soggy bag of garbage.
ReplyDeleteCareful 10:29 you are showing your true colors. Instead of just silently sitting by and not mourning the passing of someone whom you've presumably never even met, but disagree with politically. You have decided to take time out to denigrate him on the day of his death. Garbage indeed, but it's not him.
DeleteGodspeed Rush.
"and there wasn't any "Where's FEMA?"
ReplyDeleteNews Flash: Limbaugh lied!
BILLY LONG LOVED HIM SOME FEMA AND FEDERAL MONEY TO HELP PEOPLE AFTER THE TORNADO AND TO REBUILD JOPLIN AFTER THE TORNADO:
STEVE INSKEEP: The gridlock in Congress over disaster aid affects Joplin, Missouri, which was hit in May by a tornado. The devastated area is represented on Capitol Hill by Congressman Billy Long. He's a Tea Party favorite who won his seat in November as a man fed up with Washington.
BILLY LONG: Fed up with reckless spending. Fed up with the threat to our values.
INSKEEP: Since the tornado, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has spent millions of dollars in the congressman's district. And the spending continues. Congressman Long says that's perfectly appropriate, which is leading to questions about whether the abandoned his Tea Party principles. Frank Morris, of member station KCUR, reports.
FRANK MORRIS: Billy Long is a pretty popular guy in Joplin. Last April he fired up a Tea Party crowd there, pretending to auction off the national debt.
LONG: (Unintelligible)
MORRIS: Five weeks later, Long was back in Joplin, this time in the dark, and rain, surveying the aftermath of an apocalyptic tornado. And, this time, the federal government was his friend.
LONG: FEMA called as soon as I got there, and said, Congressman Long, we're on the way. We'll have boots on the ground there in an hour or two. And I said, no you won't, they're already here.
MORRIS: What followed, Long says, has been a superb relief effort.
LONG: The president came in. He was great. Janet Napolitano came in, she's been great. And Leader Pelosi came up to me on the floor and hugged me and said anything people in Joplin need they will have.
MORRIS: And that's just what they've gotten. FEMA has spent close to $100 million just on the cleanup, another 19 million plus on rent and home repairs. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano was back in Joplin just yesterday, praising Joplin's can do attitude and Congressman Long.
JANET NAPOLITANO: He's worked well with our office, with our shop. When he was asked about FEMA shortly after the fact, to rank it on a scale of one to 10, he said he would give it a 12.
MORRIS: This kind of talk doesn't square with some of Long's constituents. Bloggers say he's shredding his Tea Party stripes, drinking the Potomac Kool-Aid. He's portrayed as another politician bellying up to the trough. Perhaps surprisingly, some of this grief for helping tornado-ravaged Joplin, has come from Joplin.
https://www.npr.org/transcripts/140713653
Glad he's dead.
ReplyDeleteToday I got up and after taking care of some daily business I took care of some more of my daily business with my daily constitutional. Not long after I saw on my internet the not unexpected news that El Rushbo has left his bunker for the final time. Tomorrow and for a long time to come I will honor the memory of El Rushbo by thinking of him during every daily constitutional.
ReplyDelete@Brian Oh now, I'm showing that I have no remorse for a person who had absolutely no compassion, he spewed hate and lies until he died. I feel for his family, it must be hard to have love for such a monster.
ReplyDeleteYou all are a disgrace to mankind, (except Brian) and everytime you post these vile comments you continue to prove that you are part of the problem, not the solution. I have a very strong dislike for most of your Demo leaders, but would never comment stuff like this on their death. Sad sad day for true Americans to know we share this great country with people like you.
ReplyDeleteDeplorable people do deplorable things.
ReplyDeleteRush Limbaugh's AIDS UPDATE segment:
You know that was some funny stuff there.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71309533/the-gazette/
The “Aids Update” segment was short-lived. According to The New York Times, it ended after a few weeks. Limbaugh would call the segment one of “most regretful things I’ve ever done” because it was “making fun of people who were dying long, painful and excruciating deaths.”
The hate is pathological. They are projecting their self-hatred outward onto people they disagree with. They want everyone to be as miserable as they are. Pitiful.
ReplyDelete"Liberal hearts are so full of hatred."
ReplyDeleteLet's examine Rush Limbaughs heart with some few fun facts.
Remember when he lovingly referred to Obama as Barack the Magic Negro? Nothing but love there.
More love here regarding homosexuals "When a gay person turns his back on you, it is anything but an insult; it's an invitation."
How about this gem? "Women should not be allowed on juries where the accused is a stud."
Should I pull out some more easy to find examples of his decency? Or are you willing to admit you only have respect because he was a hateful bigot just like you?
Do you feel this deep sense of respect and remorse when murderers and child rapists die? I highly doubt it.
I never listened to his show. I am not a bigot and I don't understand how people can say such horrible things about anyone who dies.
DeleteHe will answer before God for all his sin's, just as you and I will.
You cannot have hatred in your heart and make it to heaven.
So I would say, remove the note from your own eye before you look for fault with others. Don't let hatred and bitterness consume you.
Politics is nothing to lose your mind or your soul over.
God bless you.
Right wingers are delicate flowers.
ReplyDeleteThe don't think any of their ch*t stinks.
Pretty sure it's not the right wingers in here celebrating the death of someone, but whatever helps you get by, I guess. Unity and such.
ReplyDeleteI have never celebrated the death of someone. Rush doesn't count as a person.
ReplyDeleteHow it started:
ReplyDeleteInstead of just silently sitting by and not mourning the passing of someone whom you've presumably never even met, but disagree with politically. You have decided to take time out to denigrate him on the day of his death.
How it's going:
Pretty sure it's not the right wingers in here celebrating the death of someone, but whatever helps you get by, I guess.
it's not the right wingers in here celebrating the death of someone
IN HERE
IN HERE THIS TIME
ARE YOU SURE RIGHT WINGERS HAVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT? OR DID THEY JUST DO IT AND THEN PRAY TO OBTAIN THEIR FORGIVEN BS ABSOLUTION AUTOMATICALLY RIGHT AFTERWARD?
Also a few points of clarification:
I don't celebrate the death of anyone.
I refuse to mourn a deplorable man like Limbaugh.
I refuse to remain silent so that all you dittohead right wingers can fill the comments with your slavish mourning of your expired dittohead cult leader. The main difference between Limbaugh and David Koresh is that Limbaugh figured out how to monetize his cult in the hundreds of millions of dollars and vast power. No question that Limbaugh indirectly was responsible for the death of many more than Koresh killed (google Limbaugh + covid denial.)
I think it is too bad so sad that Mr Limbaugh won't be here watch the reports when the Trump Crime Family indictments start dropping. Manhattan DA Cy Vance will figure out why the Trump books smell so much like fraud. Vance will be announcing felony indictments within the next year. With Mike Cohen and Vance's new hires like Mark Pomerantz (google Trump + Mark Pomerantz + organized crime) and FTI Consulting all these criminals have nowhere to hide.
All of this other stuff notwithstanding, let me let you in on something that those of us on the right learned back in 2016. If you are politically connected at a high level and/or worth north of around 50 million dollars or so. It doesn't matter what laws you break, you will never see the inside of a prison. There are two different justice systems on this country. Prison is for poor people and the mentally ill.
DeleteIn all sincerety, please let go of the hate. No one knows what is truly inside of a man's heart except him and God. The media loves to whip up hate in this country and social media amplifies it a trillion times. Don't let it consume you.
Brian, the more they post, the more they prove our point.
ReplyDeleteI know right. Now they are trying to strawman Trump into a Rush thread with some orange man bad Democrat fan fiction Google suggestions. Somehow that proves that the left is less hateful than the right. I said what I said. I won't have to explain it to my maker.
Delete