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CNSNews.com
Democrats Edit: Take Limbaugh's 'Want Obama to Fail' Comment Out of Context
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
By Susan Jones, Senior Editor




Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee launches 'Help Stop Rush' petition. (From DCCC Web site)(CNSNews.com) - The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is running an audio clip on its Web site that misrepresents what radio host Rush Limbaugh meant when he said on his Friday, Jan. 16 radio program that he wanted President Obama "to fail."

The audio clip, as played by the DCCC, omits a key sentence, as follows:

DCCC version: “If I wanted Obama to succeed, I’d be happy the Republicans have laid down. [EDIT] I don’t want this to work. So I’m thinking about replying to the guy, 'Okay, I”ll send you a response, but I don’t need 400 words, I need four: I hope he fails.'”

What Limbaugh said: "If I wanted Obama to succeed, I'd be happy the Republicans have laid down. And I would be encouraging Republicans to lay down and support him. Look, what he's talking about is the absorption of as much of the private sector by the U.S. government as possible, from the banking business, to the mortgage industry, the automobile business, to health care. I do not want the government in charge of all of these things. I don't want this to work. So I'm thinking of replying to the guy, "Okay, I'll send you a response, but I don't need 400 words, I need four: I hope he fails."

Limbaugh, on his Jan. 16 radio program, also made the point that no liberals hoped President Bush would succeed. Nevertheless, Limbaugh continued, Obama "is the president of the United States, he's my president, he's a human being, and his ideas and policies are what count for me, not his skin color, not his past, not whatever ties he doesn't have to being down with the struggle, all of that's irrelevant to me. We're talking about my country, the United States of America, my nieces, my nephews, your kids, your grandkids. Why in the world do we want to saddle them with more liberalism and socialism? Why would I want to do that? So I can answer it, four words, 'I hope he fails.' And that would be the most outrageous thing anybody in this climate could say. Shows you just how far gone we are. Well, I know, I know. I am the last man standing."

On subsequent radio programs, Limbaugh has talked about people "misunderstanding" his remark.

On his Friday, Jan. 23 program -- reviewing the week -- Limbaugh explained that he supports Obama -- he just doesn't support Obama's policies. "I don't support the nationalization of the banks, which has happened. I don't support the nationalization of the auto companies. I don't support the nationalization of the mortgage business. I don't like Barney Frank and Chris Dodd running things. And I don't want that to continue," Limbaugh said.

And on his Tuesday, Jan. 27 program at one point, Limbaugh referred to President Obama telling Republicans to ignore Limbaugh: "The president of the United States hopes I fail," Limbaugh said.

Democrats and liberal groups have misrepresented Limbaugh’s words and meaning on previous occasions, most notably bashing him two years ago for using the term "phony soldiers" to describe Jesse Macbeth, who was sentenced to five months in prison for falsifying his military records.

A group that wanted Limbaugh removed from taxpayer-supported Armed Forces Radio claimed that Limbaugh had used the term "phony soldiers" to describe all soldiers who had spoken against the Iraq war.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, wading into the controversy, gave a speech on the Senate floor, condemning Limbaugh and urging his colleagues to send a letter of complaint to the chairman of Clear Channel Communications, which syndicates Limbaugh’s radio show.

Limbaugh turned tables on Reid, however. In October 2007, the radio host auctioned off the letter that Reid sent to the CEO of Clear Channel Communications demanding that Limbaugh be censured and forced to apologize to U.S. servicemen.

The winning bid on eBay was $2.1 million, which Limbaugh matched – raising $4.2 million for the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation, which serves children of fallen Marines and law enforcement officers.

See Related Stories:
Democrats Launch Petition Against Rush Limbaugh
'Obama-Limbaugh Economic Stimulus Plan of 2009' May Now Get A Closer Look







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