Rush.
That's all you need to see or say for tens of millions of people to know exactly who you are talking or writing about. His weekly audience was roughly 21 million people across the country, untold more around the world. Multiply by about 46 weeks a year for more than 30 years. That, my friends, is a lot of people.
For many he was keynote speaker and lecturer and the class was conservatism.
In the wake of the presidency of Ronald Reagan, Rush Limbaugh came into his own. He became the spokesman for the conservative ideology and he would credit William F. Buckley with his clear understanding of the core tenants. I can tell you with certainty all of the head knowledge would be meaningless if a deep love of our Constitution, our nation, and her people were not deeply embedded in Rush's heart, at the core of his being.
Regardless of whether you agreed or disagreed with him, Rush believed in the best of you. All of you...and, all of them.
Sadly "they", illiberals, did not embrace the notion and chose to hate him. They loathed him. Despised him. There were organized efforts to cancel him before it was vogue to cancel. People would sit in boiler rooms making calls and threatening sponsors, telling lies, misrepresenting his comments.
Rush Limbaugh's passing was not unexpected. Stage 4 lung cancer is usually a bullet you can't dodge. It's lethal in its accuracy.
Any thoughts of the hateful bloggers, commentators, celebrities, and media outlets showing kindness and a modest amount of decorum was a mirage. I knew what would come. I braced myself for it, but when it came, I will admit to you, I got (and am) very, very angry. I had to have a serious chat with God. My wife and I reminded ourselves that God loves them, too...all of the haters.
I'm still mad. Just being honest about my own shortcomings.
Rush Limbaugh, was 70. On what would be his final show he sounded much younger and, never better.
Because radio is so different than every other form of mass communication many of us feel like we have lost a member of our family and as such, it is deeply offensive to see some of the celebratory comments emanating from the illiberal left which Rush so perfectly described his entire career. That partially explains my anger...
I know Rush was not perfect, no one is, but he was family. We can talk about his shortcomings, but those outside the family cannot. "They" are not allowed. I am not excusing my current attitude, just explaining it.
A friend told me, "Illiberals hate Rush because he holds up a mirror and they don’t like what they see."
Too many illiberals, and much of the media, are doing something we conservatives do not do…reveling in the death of someone with which they disagree and have they chose to personally hate Rush and push it out on every platform possible.
One of my sons, Jordan, reminded me of the conservative reaction to the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. There were kind words from the right. Thoughts of respect and admiration regardless of differences. Feel free to dig up my shows in the wake of her passing; I know what my thoughts were because I believe them - I had great disagreement with Ginsburg decisions and legal logic, but how can you not admire and respect her place in our nation's history?
In closing, even in his death, Rush gets a final "I Told You So" ...holding up a mirror to show just how deeply hateful many illiberals are…and it’s shameful.
I am beyond sad...I have lost a mentor from afar, an insightful, generous, good-hearted man...and like you, I have lost a dear friend.