Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has passed away from lung cancer at the age of 70.
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While I have many disagreements with many of the things he said on the air and with his overall political ideology - I had much respect for Rush. I met him a couple of times. The second time I met him was at a radio station in Seattle, and I was impressed that he remembered me from WWL in New Orleans.
The passing of Rush opens the door to distinguish between the accomplishment of an individual and political ideology. As a radio talk show host who disagrees with Rush’s fundamental political beliefs, I can respect what he accomplished in radio.
Rush Limbaugh left college to pursue a career in radio. In February 971, using the on-air name, “Bachelor Jeff” Christie, Rush got a show on WIXZ in McKeesport, PA. Like many on-air talents, Rush moved to different radio stations; and in the mid-80s he landed on KFBK in Sacramento, CA.
When President Ronald Reagan directed the FCC to repeal the Fairness Doctrine in 1987, the door was opened for radio stations to present opinions and commentary without a requirement to offer equal time for opposing views.
Rush quickly became a conservative talk show host who got the attention of ABC in New York. On August 1, 1988, Rush Limbaugh began his syndicated conservative radio talk show from New York.
The success of Rush as a conservative radio talk show host was fueled by the migration of the Baby Boomer generation from its liberal roots in the 60s to embracing conservative ideology. Rush’s conservative message hit at the right time after Boomers, the largest segment of the population at the time, had changed their collective political ideology.
But Rush Limbaugh was a talented broadcaster with great instincts to entertain. Rush was the first to recognize that he was foremost an entertainer with the innate skills to relate to an audience.
Rush Limbaugh blazed a trail that led to thousands of conservative radio hosts following in his footsteps. By the mid-90s, Rush’s audience was so large; and the proliferation of conservative talk radio across America made the launch of the conservative Fox News Channel inevitable. Fox News hit the air in October of 1996.
Rush Limbaugh became a powerful conservative voice in talk radio, and his support was courted by presidential and congressional candidates. An endorsement from Rush Limbaugh was significant.
Rush did not make America conservative - his style and content came along at a time when the largest segment of the population had become more conservative; and Rush’s voice represented their views. Rush’s popularity was skyrocketing in the context of the media world dominated by left-leaning media outlets. He gave a sense that if you were conservative, you had someone in the media who reflected what you were thinking. For those who felt alienated by the mainstream media, Rush let you know that someone else was thinking what you were thinking.
But as powerful as Rush’s voice was, he was not powerful enough to prevent Bill Clinton or Barack Obama from becoming president. The will and vote of the nation was bigger than a popular ideology promoted on talk radio.
I respect that Rush Limbaugh basically worked until he died, and the news of his death was shocking to those who continued to hear his strength on the air.
Through his career, Rush Limbaugh said many controversial things on the air and displayed an intolerant attitude that may have been the political foundation that led to the success of Donald Trump.
But as someone who has spent his entire career in radio, I can separate the politics from the person, and in his passing I express my respect for the signature Rush Limbaugh left on talk radio.