BET: Rush Is...A Racist?

Rush Limbaugh has no problem following black conservatives. But you’d never know it, were you to read the Black Entertainment Television website.

Posted by the amorphous BET.com Staff, the following kneecapping was posted today:

Rush Limbaugh has a problem with leading Black Republicans. In recent weeks, he’s blasted his own party’s chairman, calling Michael Steele “gutless” and too weak to challenge President Obama. And now, the acid-tongued shock jock is hurling barbs at perhaps the most respected Black Republican in America, telling his estimated 20 million listeners to his radio show that former Secretary of State Colin Powell is really a Democrat in a GOP costume.

First of all, Rush Limbaugh, while generally seen as a Republican, is first and foremost a conservative. For Limbaugh, the party is simply an instrument to implement a philosophy - understanding this about conservatives would cause partisans everywhere to understand Limbaugh’s politics much better.

But the inability to understand the difference is not the only problem with this BET article.

Second, zero evidence is given to back the initial claim that “Rush Limbaugh has a problem with leading Black Republicans.” If you look at what Limbaugh said, he has a problem with the liberal tendencies of these two individuals. Limbaugh would have no problem following a conservative, even if he were colored a bright glowing green. Colin Powell, however, seems to have ranged away from the conservative policies of Republicans, and toward the more left-leaning policies of President Obama - best evidenced by Powell’s endorsement of Obama during the campaign. Also, one wonders why Limbaugh has had such nice things to say about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas; and also why he might occasionally turn over his beloved microphone to Dr. Walter Williams for a guest appearance.

Third, the implication of this article is that Rush Limbaugh is somehow upset with having to follow black leaders in the Republican party. Has he attacked the RNC members for electing a black man? No. Has he aimed the Golden EIB Microphone at the military for having promoted a black man to such a high post as General Powell? No. Could someone name a time when Limbaugh has said that black men - or women, for that matter - were not worthy of leadership positions, based solely on the color of their skin?

He hasn’t.

Does it strike no one else as odd, that BET is upset over Limbaugh’s response to being publicly attacked?