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Gratitude…For My Hero
This year has been I think the second-worst in my 71-year life (the worst being 1999 when I had knee surgery, my mother died, and I had Coxsackievirus infection, all in the same three-month period). The government shutdown of society was and still is awful, and it cost me and Ray both our jobs. But the real worst part was finding out, in January, that Rush Limbaugh was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. We can get around the pandemic restrictions and job losses-there is something WE can do to better our situation. But my hero’s lung cancer; that’s something we can do absolutely nothing about. But, since then, I have given a great deal of thought to how much Rush has meant to me since I started listening to his radio show in 2001. This Thanksgiving, I will be saying mighty prayers for Rush to be able to continue his vital work.
I first was really introduced to Rush in 2001 by Ray. I had never actually listened to him before, and all I knew about him was what I had heard others say (the usual, he’s a blowhard, bigot, narcissist…). It only took about ten minutes listening in the car on the way out to dinner to get me hooked. I told Ray “This guy is really funny!” He made me laugh, and he said all the right things. I was only a budding conservative then, and he helped turn me into a rock-solid one. His analysis of current events was spot-on, and he helped make the complicated, understandable. He broke down the concepts and showed how conservative principles were the foundation of our great country. And he always said how much he loves this country, and hates to see how it is being torn down by the Left.
We followed Rush through many of his trials and tribulations (even the ones he brought on himself), including his opiate addiction and his deafness. We rooted for him every time and admired how well he handled everything that came at him. We chuckled when he discussed his weight problem, and commiserated too. We followed the news of his marriages and divorces, and we both opined that Rush needed to find the right woman. I became his biggest fan and listened to him every chance I got. I became a Rush 24/7 member and would email him periodically when something happened that I thought he might be interested in. I was flabbergasted to actually hear him read aloud an email I had sent on his show!
In 2005, one day while I was at work (don’t tell my old boss this), I called into his show, and I actually got through! This was around the time of Hurricane Katrina, and when I told Mr. Snerdly my story, he let me on. Well, let me tell you, Rush Limbaugh was an extremely gracious host, and we carried on a great two-way conversation. He was delighted to hear my story of how I discovered him the first time. My heart was going pitty-pat all the while, and I cherish that conversation.
And in 2010, when I started my personal blog, I adopted the screen name RushBabe49. I heard the call where a lady asked him why, if there were “RushBabies” whose parents introduced them to Rush, there couldn’t be “RushBabes”, applying to single women without kids. Well, he jumped on that suggestion in the blink of an eye, and a very short time later there were “RushBabe On Board” yellow signs, and t-shirts in the EIB Store, and a Facebook page “RushBabes for America”. My screen name follows me all over the Internet, and I wear it proudly.
When he started writing his Rush Revere books for kids, I bought every single one, and read them avidly. They are actually very good, and if I had kids, I would buy them the entire set to read aloud and discuss. They also introduced us to Rush’s new wife, Kathryn, who helped him write and publish the books. What a great lady she is, and we were so happy for him to have finally found the right person. He sings her praises every day.
And then, there are the cats. I was delighted to find that Rush was a cat person, and that he had an Abyssinian cat named Punkin. I had an Aby once, and they are quite remarkably “people cats” who just love to be around their humans and play. Aside from being just gorgeous.
This year, with all the things going on, and his periodic absences for treatment, has really brought home to me how much I value having been able to listen, and talk to, my Hero. Whenever a political story comes out, the first thing I think of is “What will Rush say about this?” The four years of President Trump’s administration have been some of the most difficult for us conservatives, and we have a hard time imagining all the crap he has been through. But Rush, as someone who knows and likes him, has been an indispensable interpreter of his actions. When we are discouraged about current events, Rush is always there to help us understand, and keep our spirits up. And I rarely make up my mind about an issue until I have heard Rush’s take on it. He truly is “almost always right.” I found that I have almost never disagree with Rush.
In spite of his illness, Rush has been tireless, doing all three hours of his show every day that he can. He is truly doing what he was born to do, and he always advises callers to find what they were born to do, and do it. One of the most important concepts that he promotes, both in himself and in others, is ignoring what outsiders think of him. He always stresses that all the dirt thrown at him matters absolutely not to him, and he just lets it roll off his back. This is an issue that he shares with President Trump (all the crap lobbed his way); what they do not share is what to do about it. But Rush totally understands that the President is a different person, and in a different place, and must respond as he sees fit. I always marvel at how optimistic Rush remains about this country, and about life in general; he would be a great role model in this.
I also greatly appreciate the “Limbaugh Method” of how to respond to leftists and their crazy ideas. He wasn’t the first to say that the correct response to a leftist’s crazy idea is to laugh at them. He says that leftists, since they have zero sense of humor, would be especially affected by someone laughing at them. I do try to keep that in mind whenever I am speaking with a leftist. And I will forever call it that Limbaugh Method.
So, now, I think about what I will do when Rush finally loses his battle with his cancer? That is a most excruciatingly painful thought. What will happen to those three hours of every day that are filled with his expert commentary, and witticisms, and appreciation for our country? What will I do without his funny commercials, without the Justice Brothers, without his constant encouragement to bear with all the opprobrium directed at him and the President, and all of us? Rush has been a very important influence in my life for nearly 20 years, and I admit that I just cannot imagine life without him. And as most of us know, life in America is about to get much, much more difficult for all conservatives, and really for most Americans.
Rush has been saying for a while that he has come to see every new day as a gift. He says that every day he wakes up in the morning is a good day, because it is another day of life, no matter how unpleasant. I try and see it that way, too. I just know that I will grieve greatly, and there will be a vast hole in my world when Rush is gone. So this year, I will thank God that I have had a chance to know, speak with, and appreciate My Hero, Rush Limbaugh. (And that meme above, which I created, will I hope come true, with Rush watching me from Heaven and smiling)
Published in Group Writing
Every day is a gift.
I don’t recall exactly when I started listening. I do know that his reputation as a hater preceded him. It took a while for that to be dispelled. Fifteen minutes – twenty tops. None of the lefties had mentioned just how funny he was.
There are people who don’t get that. Do not trust them. They are closeted liberals. The kind of mockery that really gets their goat is when it gets non-conservatives laughing at them too. That laughter is the sound of defeat, and they know it. When you point out that the nascent “Climate Czar” has six houses, twelve cars, two yachts, and a jet and yet wants you to take mass transportation to prevent the sea from rising and ruining the beachfronts of a few of those houses, they may be able to wave it off, but other people listening and laughing … where do they go? what do they say? Amp up the moral outrage? That only makes it funnier, and the observers laugh harder. They can handle being righteous, offended, aggrieved, and far-thinking. They can’t handle silly.
I know that the conservative movement would never have caught on without Rush. William F. Buckley, Jr., spoke far too densely to have reached as many people as Rush did. Humor is the best way to connect with people.
I found it so interesting that he chose a spot in the afternoon–12 to 3–that was not for commuters. I’m sure it seemed like a small market. But it was exactly the right place for him. My letter carrier used to listen to Rush while he went on his neighborhood rounds. A large part of his audience turned out to be self-employed people who enjoyed his humor and good sense. The time of day for his broadcast was critical to his developing a niche among independent people who discovered they were more comfortable on the right than they were on the left.
Of all of the commentators, I have always found him to make the most sense to me. I marvel at his ability to edit while he is speaking. It must be like playing the piano, with the left hand doing one thing and right doing another. :-) I’ve always worked with written words. I can’t imagine how fast his mind is working to speak extemporaneously.
He is truly one in 7 billion people. There is no one like him.
Thanks for this RushBabe!
I was born in 1983, so Rush is a little before my time. All I knew about him was from the “Birch Barlow” parody of him on the Simpsons. He was certainly racist. And he hated poor people. There may have even been some sexism.
Then I actually listened to him, and found him to be very logical and rational. And not bigoted, whatsoever. The talk radio-types are something of a dying breed to my generation, but your post reminds me of how important Rush really was (and is).
Dittos.
I was in Raleigh at a friend’s house. He looked at his watch and said, “It’s noon!. Stad, you gotta listen to this guy.”
It was during the first Gulf War. I listened, and was also hooked in about ten minutes.
I turned to my friend and said, “This guy thinks the way I do.”
I used to listen to Rush at work, but we were far enough from the radio station that the reception was horrible. I eventually joined Rush 24/7, and had access to podcasts. Now I just read the transcripts because I can absorb what he’s saying a lot faster than by listening (I much prefer reading the news than listening to the news).
Rush is a national treasure, and giving Rush the Medal of Freedom should be listed among the many Trump accomplishments.
I first heard of Rush from some news cast that totally criticized him, even called him fat. I am not sure of the year but he was still on TV. The criticism made me want to watch. The first time he was doing a parody on condoms. I laughed my butt off. I have been trying to listen ever since. I didn’t actually have the time when I had my business but have been since 1996. He is irreplaceable but he will be. I can’t think of anyone who can fill his shoes. I tried calling a couple of times but couldn’t get through. I wanted to praise him for being able to live his own live they way he has because I understand how hard that is especially at his level of success. I have never envied him because I understand what it takes to achieve what he has. They only thing I am jealous of is that damm plane. Wow.
RB, this made me teary. Like you, I had heard of Rush before I ever tried listening to him. I had heard all the usual pejoratives, and my initial take was something along the lines of “oh great…..just what we need, someone gaining prominence in the media who confirms the Left’s worst opinions of conservatives.” A co-worker encouraged me to actually listen to him. I did, and was immediately hooked. His humor and confidence were magnetic.
This was in the spring of 1992, so I go back a long ways with Rush. At the time, he was making fun of Ross Perot regularly. I loved the parodies, in addition to Rush’s monologues. Paul Shanklin is an under-appreciated genius.
I lived in (relatively conservative) Orange County, California in those years. Rush’s LA affiliate was KFI, which he would occasionally refer to as “the 50,000-watt flamethrower of truth in Southern California.” I believe it’s changed formats since then, and no longer carries his show, which saddens me. At the time, though, that strong signal carried a long ways in the LA basin.
I credit Rush with motivating me to finally get politically active, which I had thought about for years beforehand. I volunteered on local campaigns, precinct-walked, doorbelled, and was an officer in the county GOP for some years. That helped me understand retail politics at a different level.
I too will miss Rush greatly when he is gone, and dread that day. Meanwhile, I’m grateful for every day he has with us.
@rushbabe49, what a lovely tribute. I hope you send him a version of this in the mail.
My thought as well.
We have all of them, including the audio CDs read by Rush himself. We also have a couple of Liberty plush toys. The books are extremely well researched and accurate. I fondly recall spending Thanksgiving in New England with the in-laws and driving around listening to Rush read Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims. Given how leftist the in-laws were and how lefty western Massachusetts is in general, it felt gloriously subversive.
Sounds like someone else we have come to know.
Thanks Rushbabe. My brother, who was doing a lot of driving at the time, mentioned Rush so I tuned in. It was the first Gulf War and I just howled at the ‘movie’ (Billy Bart as the King of Jordan, the big busty gal as the milk factory, etc). Then he had Senator Kennedy’s speeches which were done as if underwater. That humor is and was so great, along with the Shanklin parodies. A happy warrior indeed.
Actually, I would like this post to get promoted, so I could send him the link (sorry for the shameless self-promotion).
Nothing wrong (or shameless) with that at all!
I was just thinking that this type of thing is particularly meaningful on paper, though. Maybe that’s just old-school me.
For anyone who might be interested, here are links to previous posts about Rush from my personal blog.
https://rushbabe49.com/2020/10/19/please-keep-my-hero-rush-limbaugh-in-your-prayers/
https://rushbabe49.com/2020/08/07/thought-for-the-day-rush-limbaugh-on-living-through-cancer-treatment/
https://rushbabe49.com/2020/02/03/ode-to-my-hero-rush-limbaugh/
https://rushbabe49.com/2018/07/26/extra-extra-read-all-about-it-dem-pollster-pat-caddell-agrees-with-rush-limbaugh/
https://rushbabe49.com/2020/02/09/rush-the-irreplaceable-upbeat-in-his-own-words/
https://rushbabe49.com/2014/09/27/stop-rush-good-luck-with-that/
https://rushbabe49.com/2014/02/04/thanks-to-rush-for-this-pithy-comment/
https://rushbabe49.com/2018/08/05/congratulations-to-my-hero/
https://rushbabe49.com/2014/11/10/fuzzballs/
Way to go, RB. I agree with every word.
I started listening on the construction site in 1990. I didn’t know up from down about politics, but I had an instinct for fairness and honesty (a budding BS detector?).
I started listening and immediately heard the difference between what he actually said and did, and what “they” said about him. That made me pay a lot more attention to him, because he was unabashedly telling the truth as he saw it, and they were unabashedly lying about him.
This never changed.
My buddy and I jumped in the truck one day on a whim and drove to Ft. Collins Colorado for Dan’s Bake Sale. 1800 miles, stayed a few hours to buy some cookies and hear Rush address the 85,000 of us, then drove 1800 miles back to work. I’ve never forgotten that fun, and only wish it or something like it had become an annual event – I would have all the T-shirts.
Screw all who lie about him, most without ever having even listened. Why should I be very interested in anything they have to say on other topics?
He is a kind, gentle, funny man. He is a true patriot, a believer and promoter of all the things that make America great. He is an enthusiastic proselytizer of the ideas of freedom, liberty, self-determination, and self-responsibility, and his target is every man, woman, and child, from every race and creed on Earth.
He is a great friend who will be sorely missed.
And I didn’t even write about how he has to live his life mostly in semi-isolation. He knows that if he went out in public, he would immediately be recognized and attacked. He has enough real enemies out there that he is not safe whenever outside his home or studio. He does play in charity golf tournaments, and my bet is that security is as tight as President Trump’s is. That’s why he has EIB1, his Gulfstream private jet (with a teensy bit of me in there, since I worked for the company that manufactures the flight-deck avionics for them, purchasing circuit card assemblies); so he can fly anywhere he needs to go, incognito. He used to do “Rush to Excellence” tours, filling halls all over the country, but he can’t do that now, too risky.
Started listening in 1991. He was a great help through the Clinton and Obama years particularly. If you read this, love you, Rush
Well. I’ve been listening for almost half-a-century (Do I win a prize? At least an Emmy? Or maybe a Nobel?), ever since 1971, when a barely dry-behind-the-knees young fellow calling himself “Jeff Christie” showed up, first on WIXZ (1360) and then on KQV (1420) local AM radio in Pittsburgh. He was considered rather outré and transgressive, and my mother would much rather I’d spent my time with “Bogut in the Morning” (KDKA-1020), the more mainstream choice for music at the time.
“Jeff Christie” didn’t last all that long, and was, eventually, IIRC, bounced by both stations, and disappeared somewhere to reinvent himself and come back under his own name, and most notably into national syndication in 1990 or so. But that’s where his lifelong affection for Pittsburgh football and the “Stillers” stems from.
I’ll really miss him when he’s gone. And I hope that’s not for a while yet. Mr. She was also a big fan, and rarely missed a show. On a personal note, someone who’s from the same general area of the country as the Limbaughs said that the family, and Rush and his brother, David, are just the nicest, most genuine people you could ever hope to meet. Didn’t surprise me, because he couldn’t possibly have maintained the consistency he has if he was other than what he appears to be.
Here’s a bit of very early Rush:
Years of listening to Rush has helped generations of conservatives (and more recently, some right thinking Democrats) learn how to read between the lines of the mainstream media, a vitally important tool necessary for self-government.
I was listening to talk radio since I got married, and lived in San Diego, in 1974. My husband was in the Navy there, and I was the mom at home with little kids, and a couple of others that I babysat during the day. Talk radio was pretty big then, there was a morning guy and an afternoon guy, and they were opposites of each other politically. I just loved listening to politics!
Well, many years later, 1987, I had driven over to my children’s school to pick them up, and there was a new voice on my car radio that afternoon. I loved it! Remember when he did the “caller abortions” and would use the sound of a vacuum cleaner to get rid of a caller he didn’t agree with, or who was “inconvenient” to him?
I’ve listened to him from the moment he came on national syndication. Critics used to say that his listeners were “mind-numbed robots” but then we listeners began to call in and say, “I don’t listen to you because you tell me how to think—I listen to you because you are saying what I already think. You articulate how I feel about issues! You say it better than I can!” So, after a few zillion of these calls, someone finally just said, “Dittos to what that other caller said, Rush! That’ll save us some time.” So, Voila! Ditto-heads got started.
It is true! He does say what I’m thinking, just in a better way. None of my family (children or husband) could ever bear to listen with me, however. When they got old enough, my children begged me to listen to something else in the car. I don’t know why they didn’t like him. But I do. I listen to his podcasts every evening. It’s great that I don’t have to miss the show because of my daily schedules.
I bought his Rush Revere books for my 4th grade classroom, and my students loved them!! In fact, last year when I retired, I let students each choose one of my books to take home (I taught writing to the whole grade level) and those books were snapped up. One of the students who really liked them (and he said his parents did too) was a boy whose family had come to America from China a few years ago, and the parents barely spoke English. Their son took Rush’s books so they could learn more about America.
I’m going to really miss him when the lung cancer finally does its worst.
I love Rush too. I pray he overcomes the cancer. I go back even further to when I first started listening to him. I think I go back to 1992 when Clinton was running against Papa Bush. That was a terrible year. Losing at the end of the first term is really hard to take. Rush got us all off the mat then and firmed us up for the great turn around of the 1994 elections when Republicans took over congress after 40 years in the minority. I hope something like that happens in 2022. I want Rush leading the way again. May God reconcile his health.
1972! You do take the prize.
My radio producer slid a cassette across the table, and told me to take a listen. The station was going to start carrying this guy. He was outrageous.
I listened, and agreed: this was a different level of talk radio, at least as our station practiced it. Our local hosts were MOR and the network feeds were drippy Fairness-Doctrine-era types that ruled the AM band. I was a Good Liberal at the time and was duly inflamed, but man, the guy had fire, and it was fun.
FF a month or so: GM says I’m going to have Rush on my show for an hour to introduce him to the audience. Okay, cool! So we did an hour, took calls, bantered, argued, and got along well. He was grateful for a spot on a 50,000 watt flamethrower, and appreciated the time we gave him to make his case.
FF a year, he’s bigger now; I’m out of radio and working at one of the town’s two dailies. I pitch a story to my editors: this Limbaugh guy, he’s getting big, how about a profile? They sign on, I go to New York, head up to the EIB building (Madison Square Garden, actually) and we have lunch in his small office after the show. He gives me an hour, and we have a merry, spirited conversation. He gave me an hour. After doing three on the air. He certainly didn’t have to, but he wanted to talk about this stuff.
It was only after these events that I really started listening, and engaging, and reevaluating my own ideas. I had an intellectual pole shift when I turned 30, and Rush played a big part in the realignment.
To this day I can’t believe I had him on my show, and had sandwiches in his office.
Wow! You and Rush have history! That was the best comment, James. Thank you!
Ha ha He even made a joke about his own blooper ! 22 years old.
The heartening power of Rush Limbaugh is almost unexplainable and indescribable. Certainly part of it is that hearing your take on the news, put into better words than you can find, has the effect of reminding you that you aren’t alone in the world or crazy.
But the real magic of Rush Limbaugh is that he has you laughing at, and less afraid of speaking out against, the outlook of people whose actions leave you feeling angry and powerless. I’ll be forever grateful to him for what he did with Sandra Fluke’s bullying “reproductive rights”. It was just so liberating.
I love Rush Limbaugh.
How beautifully said.
And the best part of it is, he loves you, too. He speaks often about how much he appreciates all of his listeners, and how loyal we have been.
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