Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Democrats Get Personal Against Limbaugh
Written by Susan Jones, CNSNews.com Senior Editor
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) leveled a personal attack at radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh from the Senate floor on Monday.
In a speech blasting Limbaugh for his "phony soldiers" comment, Harkin concluded, "Well, I don't know, maybe he (Limbaugh) was just high on his drugs again. I don't know whether he was or not. If so, he ought to let us know, but that shouldn't be an excuse.
"I want to make it clear that I respect Mr. Limbaugh's right to say whatever he wants, but we also have a right," Harkin said. "We have a right not to listen to him. I think the best thing to do for him is tune him out. Just tune out Rush Limbaugh and listen to more responsible talk show hosts in this country."
Three years ago, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) introduced an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2005 Defense Authorization bill, calling on American Forces Radio and Television Service to provide "political balance" in its public affairs programming. (See story)
It was part of a liberal effort -- spearheaded by Media Matters for America -- to remove Rush Limbaugh's radio show from taxpayer-funded Armed Forces Radio.
The current controversy involving Limbaugh -- also generated by Media Matters -- may reinvigorate the longstanding liberal effort to silence Limbaugh on Armed Forces Radio.
Two weeks ago, the Senate passed a Republican-sponsored amendment "strongly" condemning "personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and all the members of the United States Armed Forces."
The vote came after a liberal advocacy group ran a full page ad in the New York Times calling Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, "General Betray Us."
Democrats are now claiming that Rush Limbaugh himself has attacked the "honor and integrity" of U.S. troops -- just as MoveOn.org did with its "General Betray Us" ad.
Limbaugh has devoted considerable air time to explaining that his "phony soldiers" comment was not intende to impugn troops who oppose the war, as Democrats say it was. Limbaugh says he was referring to a specific "phony soldier" who was sentenced to five months in prison for falsifying his military records. (See story)
Sen. Harkin, by the way, was one of 25 liberals who voted against a Republican-sponsored amendment condemning MoveOn.org's attack on Gen. Petraeus.
But on the Senate floor Monday, Harkin suggested otherwise. He said he did vote for an amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill that said, "The Senate strongly condemns all attacks on the honor, integrity and patriotism of any individual who is serving or has served honorably in the Armed Services."
That amendment was sponsored by Democrats and did not pass. Harkin voted against the Republican amendment, sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn, which did pass.
Written by Susan Jones, CNSNews.com Senior Editor
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) leveled a personal attack at radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh from the Senate floor on Monday.
In a speech blasting Limbaugh for his "phony soldiers" comment, Harkin concluded, "Well, I don't know, maybe he (Limbaugh) was just high on his drugs again. I don't know whether he was or not. If so, he ought to let us know, but that shouldn't be an excuse.
"I want to make it clear that I respect Mr. Limbaugh's right to say whatever he wants, but we also have a right," Harkin said. "We have a right not to listen to him. I think the best thing to do for him is tune him out. Just tune out Rush Limbaugh and listen to more responsible talk show hosts in this country."
Three years ago, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) introduced an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2005 Defense Authorization bill, calling on American Forces Radio and Television Service to provide "political balance" in its public affairs programming. (See story)
It was part of a liberal effort -- spearheaded by Media Matters for America -- to remove Rush Limbaugh's radio show from taxpayer-funded Armed Forces Radio.
The current controversy involving Limbaugh -- also generated by Media Matters -- may reinvigorate the longstanding liberal effort to silence Limbaugh on Armed Forces Radio.
Two weeks ago, the Senate passed a Republican-sponsored amendment "strongly" condemning "personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and all the members of the United States Armed Forces."
The vote came after a liberal advocacy group ran a full page ad in the New York Times calling Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, "General Betray Us."
Democrats are now claiming that Rush Limbaugh himself has attacked the "honor and integrity" of U.S. troops -- just as MoveOn.org did with its "General Betray Us" ad.
Limbaugh has devoted considerable air time to explaining that his "phony soldiers" comment was not intende to impugn troops who oppose the war, as Democrats say it was. Limbaugh says he was referring to a specific "phony soldier" who was sentenced to five months in prison for falsifying his military records. (See story)
Sen. Harkin, by the way, was one of 25 liberals who voted against a Republican-sponsored amendment condemning MoveOn.org's attack on Gen. Petraeus.
But on the Senate floor Monday, Harkin suggested otherwise. He said he did vote for an amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill that said, "The Senate strongly condemns all attacks on the honor, integrity and patriotism of any individual who is serving or has served honorably in the Armed Services."
That amendment was sponsored by Democrats and did not pass. Harkin voted against the Republican amendment, sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn, which did pass.
