Sanchez first indicated during a promo for a segment about the Limbaugh controversy that the talk show host is “now setting us straight on a remark that’s been wildly publicized about what he has said in the past.” The segment came just before the bottom of the 3 pm Eastern hour, and after giving a brief synopsis of the controversy, read the dubious quote attributed to the conservative: “One of the quotes that has been attributed to Rush Limbaugh is the one about him saying that ‘slavery built the South, and I’m not saying that we should bring it back.. I’m just saying that it had it’s merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark.”
The CNN anchor then admitted that “among the news organizations that reported that [quote] yesterday was our show, at 3 o’clock” [see the NewsBusters post here on that segment]. He continued by reading Limbaugh’s formal denial: “Limbaugh’s response to this is- and we want to be fair to Rush- he says, ‘We’ve gone back. We have looked at everything else, and there is not even an inkling that any of the words in that quote are accurate. It is outrageous.’ So Rush Limbaugh is denying that that quote has come from him.”
Despite this denial, Sanchez continued by basically saying that this statement didn’t matter: “Obviously, that does not take away the fact that there are other quotes which have been attributed to Rush Limbaugh, which many people in the African-American community and many other minority communities do find offensive. Nonetheless, it is a major controversy, not only in sports, but it’s also entered the news arena.”
Earlier on Tuesday, MRC President and NewsBusters Publisher Brent Bozell demanded that CNN, along with MSNBC, produce a source for the alleged quote: “CNN and MSNBC must immediately and publicly source when Limbaugh uttered this phrase. He has unequivocally denied it. Now it is up to the same news media that reported it as fact to prove that it was, indeed, stated....If they can’t, then they are 100% guilty of character assassination.”
After all, didn’t CNN fact-check a SNL skit? They can obviously make the effort to either find the source or issue a retraction.
—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.




















Editor at Large
Comments Policy
I find YOU offensive,
October 13, 2009 - 15:30 ET by mattmI find YOU offensive, Sanchez, you twerp.
Inviting Litigation
October 13, 2009 - 15:55 ET by allanfCNN looks like they are preparing for a fight. Their defense is that it doesn't matter, he is a racist anyway.
We will see what Limbaugh does.
See Rush sue,
October 14, 2009 - 09:41 ET by boomerconSee Rush sue. Sue Rush, Sue. Sue, Sue, Sue.
source: Ned and the First Reader.
CNN is racist
October 13, 2009 - 15:36 ET by Ozark_SunshineJust proves how CNN is racist since it goes after every white person it disagrees with. Sanchez, you are an embarrassment to journalism and to the Hispanic community. You need to resign since you have no credibility.
Did you notice...
October 13, 2009 - 15:36 ET by Iowa Boy...when Sanchez says that Rush denies those quotes but, he goes on to say, "there are others" that minorities find offensive and does not identifiy what those allegedly racially insensitive quotes might be?
The once proud and prestigious profession of juornalism is dead in the MSM.
Beck is right. They aren't mainstream anymore.
"Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain." Official Motto of the State of Iowa
Milking it
October 13, 2009 - 15:47 ET by CarlosSCNN figures they can milk it a few more days and then retract it on Saturday night.
I don't think retractions matter in a slander case, or do they?
October 13, 2009 - 16:40 ET by Lord ErondI mean that's the equivalent of the 8 year old boy who hits his sister, apologizes and does it again
"Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge."
Timothy 6:20
Dispicably, Sanchez smears Rush without facts
October 13, 2009 - 16:44 ET by RoverNote how there's now no way for Rush to defend himself against this charge; saying that Rush has made comments that "some" members of minority groups find offensive... Rush can give a weather report, and CNN will be able to find SOME member of a minority community who will say he/she takes offense.
A responsible journalist would say what some of these alleged comments are, and who is saying what in terms of why they are supposedly offensive, to let the listener decide.
The MSM is starting out with the assumption that Rush is a racist, then putting Rush in the position of having to ignore this, or prove them wrong.
This is a dispicable technique.
Rover
Yep
October 13, 2009 - 17:18 ET by bertkillianSame technique they used on President Bush for 8 years; they have it honed to a razor's edge.
Sanchez; what a bastard; he is aspiring to be Keith Olbermann; he loves Keith secretly; has his pics on his walls, his pic for his computer and phone wallpaper..., I bet.
Hey Ricky, just do what you're good at...
October 13, 2009 - 15:54 ET by FuzzlenutterGo out and drink a quart of Jack Daniels, get behind the wheel of your car, run down a pedestrian and then flee the scene...
Mud on his face
October 13, 2009 - 15:51 ET by jdlybrandHow utterly pathetic. I hope Rush sues...big time!
"What a revoltin' development this is!"
Chester Riley
CNN, aren't they a joke
October 13, 2009 - 15:51 ET by 10ksnookerCNN, aren't they a joke shop masquerading as a news organization? Don't they have researchers?
ORielly debunked the racist quotes last night, said his FNC researchers found nothing. Only the McNabe quote was all there was, which is open to interpretation.
looks familiar
October 13, 2009 - 15:55 ET by jazzact13They have have learned journalistic ethics from the Dan Rather School of It's True Even When The Memo is Wrong Technique.
"Thoroughly worldly people never understand even the world; they rely altogether on a few cynical maxims which are not true."
Chesterton, Orthodoxy
YOU LIE !!!!
October 13, 2009 - 15:55 ET by LEWIS IN COLORADOThe dem/lib/marxist establishment is really showing its's true colors. There is a war going on and it is about the future of our country.These people don't want to prevent Rush from being (a minority) owner , this is just like declaring war on Fox--It is really about the left take over of our country.
IS MANSLAUGHTER OFFENSIVE , RICK?
October 13, 2009 - 15:58 ET by SgthulkaI'm sure you won't think it is. Because in your little CNN-pickled brain, nothing is as bad as being conservative.
It is bad enough
October 13, 2009 - 16:34 ET by richb313It is bad enough when CNN deliberatly does not cover any story that would disagree with thier editorial point of view (Fox does cover stories that disagree with thiers). It is bad enough that they have become an Arm of the Democratic Party (Just turning the language around). It is CRIMINAL to knowingly use False information to destroy a citizens life. It is CRIMINAL to continue with this enterprise when the information provided by CNN has been proved to be false.
The sad fact is that it is so hard to prove a libel or slander case in this country against any member of the press. If you have not seen it rent or view online "Absence of Malice" with the Late great Paul Newman. That movie shows the truth of how the press operates and then hides behind protections of the First Amendment. The First Amendment provides the freedom to speak but it does not protect you from restituitons from damages caused by false speech. The absense of malice protection was included by courts because they did not want innocent mistakes to be confused with knowing mistakes. Through the years Malice has been more difficult to prove.
Real damages has to be shown as well. If Rush and the consortium loses the bid to purchase the St. Louis Rams real Damages might be able to be considered but how would they calculate the metric? It could be argued that by Rush losing on the bid they actually saved him money because of the Rams dismal performance(just kidding).
I wish Rush well. I think he is considering a lawsuit not to win but to bring these so called News Organizations into the public arena of a trial, where after discovery, they will be shown to all what these guys really are, "Small minded venial men and women with nothing more than a misguided sense of vengence and no sense of the public trust they have squandered away."
Rush and CNN
October 14, 2009 - 08:17 ET by trahantgI agree that Rush should take them on as a matter of principal. However, he will not be able to show that his livelihood has been impacted, as his ratings will only go higher.
Re livelihood
October 14, 2009 - 10:25 ET by slickwillie2001His angle would be pain and suffering vs actual damages, as he has been called a racist. Re his ratings, the object of the attacks on Rush Limbaugh are to have him kicked off the radio, not to simply affect his ratings.
fake but accurate
October 13, 2009 - 16:36 ET by katainkentobviously...
... and we'll get back to you on those quotes (cough) when someone tells us what they are.
____________________________________________
The Emperor, he has no clothes
This has reached the point of getting the guns
October 13, 2009 - 16:38 ET by Lord ErondAnd protest outside MSNBC, CNN headquarters. Their obvious dissembling clearly doesn't matter to them but maybe armed insurrection might.
"Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge."
Timothy 6:20
Jeffrey Smuzinick
October 13, 2009 - 16:45 ET by obageegeeJeffrey Smuzinick could not be reached for comment.
ANOTHER HIT & RUN...
October 14, 2009 - 06:37 ET by danybhoyPoor Jeffrey Smuzinick is hanging out with Mary Jo Kopechne.
"...How blind can you be, don't you see...
...that the gambler lost all he does not have..."
Nightwish
Matthews!
October 13, 2009 - 16:48 ET by obageegeeCan I borrow your pellet gun?
Sanchez has not yet denied
October 13, 2009 - 17:22 ET by HockeyKidSanchez has not yet denied that he once told a black staffer to "get off my set, ni**er".
Additionally, it's now been revealed that Sanchez also refers to an Asian scriptwriter as the "the slope that knows English".
I'm sure other Sanchez quotes will be found on the Internet as well.
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
Source?
October 13, 2009 - 17:26 ET by obageegeeI'm sure there are multiple sources on the internet of Sanchez's racism. If not, I'm sure I can make some up.
Here ya
October 13, 2009 - 17:33 ET by general companygo
See how that works
My Gov. thinks I am dangerous, so be careful
"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg
I found the source! it must be true!
October 13, 2009 - 17:42 ET by obageegeehttp://sites.google....
Uh-oh, this could get ugly
October 13, 2009 - 17:48 ET by general company: ]
My Gov. thinks I am dangerous, so be careful
"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg
Ugly
October 13, 2009 - 18:52 ET by jdlybrandIn a kind of slow train wreck kind of way. :-)
"What a revoltin' development this is!"
Chester Riley
Re Racist Sanchez
October 13, 2009 - 19:51 ET by slickwillie2001You're right! I seen it on the internet so it must be true!
ACORN is slavery
October 13, 2009 - 17:39 ET by sevenWhite people started ACORN and abused blacks and drained millions. Check it out.
MADE A TINGLE CARTOON FOR RICK
October 13, 2009 - 19:33 ET by LEWIS IN COLORADObad copy-sorry
sanchez hit and run article from red state
October 13, 2009 - 23:13 ET by LEWIS IN COLORADOI was unaware of this and did not understand the post references-this explained alot to me. http://www.redstate....
Is he at a shopping mall?
October 14, 2009 - 01:42 ET by TexndocThe number of people behind him must be double the number of viewers watching at home. So that's his new trick, hmmm?
Just to remind everyone
October 14, 2009 - 03:01 ET by Jack BauerJust to remind everyone about the high moral character of Senor Sanchez. And unlike the fake Rush quotes, this actually happned:
This sums it up nicely, from Red State...
proves you can't disprove a negative..
October 14, 2009 - 07:58 ET by Paul Geven when you disprove a negative
October 14, 2009 - 09:29 ET by jessieHRush should sue for everything they have.
Double standard for all to see
October 14, 2009 - 11:52 ET by Blogger Guy00001The left is condemning Limbaugh for a joke. The same left praises Sharpton who perpetrated a racial hoax against innocent men and called for the burning of a White-run store.
Real destructive actions by a leftist are praised, while the words of a joke are condemned. The left has its head screwed on backwards.