Limbaugh did say all those things using the word 'retard'. Some claim satire, some claim otherwise
...
including Limbaugh himself:
RUSH: Oh, my God! And they want to say that Obama is showing guts in standing up to people? Okay, here's the last word on this -- the last thought on Rahm Emanuel and Harry Reid. I took some liberties. For those uncomfortable with the favorite words of leading Democrats, "Negro" and "retarded," I have a question: Are you comfortable with the words or with Harry Reid and Rahm Emanuel? I am uncomfortable with the men and the manner in which they used these words. Words don't generally offend me. I try not to give people the power to offend me. But Harry Reid and Rahm Emanuel, they do offend me and they scare me and they worry me. These men have cold hearts. They are statists. They have power over all of us. They are trying desperately to exercise that power. In fact, my friends, I am so uncomfortable with these men, I purposely chose to use a rhetorical tool -- satire, s-a-t-i-r-e -- to ridicule and humiliate them. That tool is an effective blunt object in breaking through walls put up by State-Controlled Media to protect Democrats.
Satire!
For those of you in Rio Linda, here's the definition: "The use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, et cetera." I used Harry Reid's words and Rahm Emanuel's words, not mine, to expose and punish their behavior. I used satire to wash their mouths out with soap and made an uncomfortable point. Because the State-Controlled Media would have run any Republican out of office (as in George Allen and "Macaca") if they had been caught saying what Reid and Emanuel said, just as they're trying to run me off the radio for repeating what they said. Now, I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for Saturday Night Live or the late-night comedians to treat Democrats the way they treat Republicans. If some would choose different methods to expose Reid and Emanuel, fine. We share the same goals and both are useful in getting results. Do not doubt me. Aside from the State-Controlled Media, everybody involved got the point -- and so did they. Their outrage is totally fake and totally predictable.
I thought that Palin certainly came down that the word shouldn't be used - at all, not in jest or comedic form either.
Actually, that was her spokeswoman after being hounded by the media...
RUSH: Let me get something out of the way here before we move on to other issues. Last night, I'm minding my own business around five o'clock or 5:30, already working on today's show. I received a flash message from H.R., chief of staff. Sarah Palin's spokeswoman had just gotten off the phone with him, sort of in a panic. She had said that The Politico was going to run a story saying that Sarah Palin's spokeswoman had ripped into me for using the R-word and she had called to say, "I didn't mention Rush in particular. They kept asking me about Rush and I kept answering generically. But they kept asking about Rush and I just wanted you to know." So I soon saw The Politico story and the reaction to it, and, lo and behold, that's exactly how The Politico reported it. If it's a contest between Politico and Sarah Palin's spokeswoman, I will believe Sarah Palin's spokeswoman. No question about it. Because the Drive-Bys have been trying to create this ever since it happened -- and you talk about transparent? These guys are more transparent in their motives than Obama is, and he's the one that pledged it.
Oh, you can find that clip everywhere - including
Hot Air... I think it is pretty authentic.
As I have pointed out, it is
uncivil to misrepresent those you are engaging. The only person saying anything about the clips being inauthentic is you. I only pointed out that the various sources cited tend to take Limbaugh
out of context, which is different then a clip being inauthentic.
Interesting that you missed what was said by Palin's spokeswoman in that link
I asked Palin spokesperson Meghan Stapleton for comment on Rush’s rant, and she emailed me this:
“Governor Palin believes crude and demeaning name calling at the expense of others is disrespectful.”
She hardly came down on not using the word
at all. She said that it is
disrespectful.
Liars, cheats and thugs like Emanuel don't deserve any respect. Rush wasn't extending him any. As Rush himself said, he, "chose to use a rhetorical tool -- satire, s-a-t-i-r-e -- to
ridicule and humiliate them".
You seem to be jumping to conclusions. Again.
Deceit is in haste, but honesty can wait a fair leisure
