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Rush Limbaugh is more dangerous than ever
Commentary: NFL rebuke will enhance radio star's outsider status
By Jon Friedman, MarketWatch
Last Update: 12:01 AM ET Nov 9, 2009
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Rush Limbaugh, whom much of the media love to brand as a foolish bully, may have the last laugh yet on his enemies.
To the left's chagrin, he is even more dangerous than ever to liberals.
Limbaugh's opponents were warmed by his recent embarrassing, unsuccessful and public attempt to join an investment group that wanted to acquire the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. But his opponents were merely playing into the hands of the most famous radio personality in the United States.
The more they paint Limbaugh as a maniac or a kook, the better it is for his image with conservative voters and listeners -- his core audience. Limbaugh thrives on the attacks of his adversaries. Rather than seem chastened or offended, he is enlivened by the barbs. He is the Unsinkable Shock Jock.
In the thick of his Rams gambit, some African-American football players, wary of Limbaugh's reputation and his criticism of quarterback Donovan McNabb a few years ago, strongly opposed his involvement. Limbaugh was a piñata, as his foes giddily took potshots at him. Before long, Limbaugh ultimately slipped out of view.
Right now, Limbaugh may be gone from the NFL scene but he is not forgotten -- and he won't be.
Full of ... bluster
Limbaugh is full of bluster in public. It's his trademark.
In his loud condemnations of President Barack Obama and liberal causes, he gleefully plays the role of the heavy. Perhaps even someone as savvy as Limbaugh was surprised by the hostile reaction to his interest in the Rams. But he needn't worry much about shedding any serious street cred -- Limbaugh's supporters will appreciate him more than ever.
This is the rub of his liberal foes. No matter how Limbaugh behaves in public, the more popular he becomes with his crowd. They can't keep him down. Limbaugh earlier this year signed an eight-year contract for about $400 million, The Wall Street Journal reported, making him one of the most well paid figures in the entire media universe. Read related story.
If Limbaugh's enemies really wanted to hurt him, they should ignore him. A complete radio silence. Let him rant. Let him attack the president. Let him carry on.
But, of course, they won't do anything of the kind. When Limbaugh is in the spotlight, for whatever reason, he casts a very wide shadow. There is so much media exposure available, as Limbaugh's detractors know. They attack him so they can enjoy the media attention themselves.
President Rush?
Limbaugh's supporters have made noises about wanting him to run for the presidency in 2012. The media have proclaimed him to be the New Face of the G.O.P.
It would be highly ironic if the movement proved to have legs. Previously such rabble-rousers as Chris Matthews of MSNBC GE and Lou Dobbs of CNN TWX have been rumored to be thinking about entering politics.
But these conversations seemed, ultimately, to be attempts to get publicity -- probably for the purpose of remaining in the public eye prior to contract re-negotiations.
If Limbaugh ever got Potomac Fever, he'd make Matthews and Dobbs drool.
Meanwhile, the liberals will continue to slam Limbaugh at every turn. They'll point to his diatribes and declare that he is a public menace.
Whether they're right or wrong, they're making him run -- all the way to the bank.
MEDIA WEB QUESTION OF THE DAY: What do you like or dislike about Rush Limbaugh?
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