Throughout George W. Bush's presidency, insults were doled out repeatedly about the commander-in-chief and that was just a fact of life for the highest-ranking public official in the land. However, now there's a new president, there seems to be a different standard on how you talk about a president.
CNN's Rick Sanchez, the host of the 3 p.m. hour of "CNN Newsroom" on April 2 took offense to conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh described a flowery praise of President Barack Obama by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
"Well, some folks are naturally graceful, some not so much," Sanchez said. "By that measure alone, radio yacker Rush Limbaugh is the polar opposite of our Commander-in-Chief, Barack Obama. Now, you can just disagree with Barack Obama on his leadership, perhaps his policies. But it's hard not to at least acknowledge the ease with which America's 44th president handled himself in London on a global stage, even among royalty."
And Sanchez said that, despite the First Lady's error in etiquette with the Queen of England. However, he then played a clip of Gordon Brown - an avowed socialist - praising Obama at the G20 economic summit in London. The he continued his anti-Limbaugh tirade.
"Then you have Rush Limbaugh who doesn't like the fact that Gordon Brown was impressed with the U.S. President," Sanchez continued. "Didn't like the compliment - in fact, Limbaugh was so upset about it, he made what may be one of the most disgusting comments anybody could possibly make. I mean, this is the type that would make me wash out my kid's mouth, the type that even for Rush Limbaugh seems beyond the pale. Some of you no doubt will find Limbaugh's comments offensive."
The alleged indiscretion: Limbaugh noted on his April 1 broadcast that Brown, who isn't exactly a free-market capitalist that reflects the ideals the United States was founded upon, was kissing up to Obama, in a way that might contaminate his person.
"So here is a full-fledged, committed global socialist praising the president of the United States for all of his achievements in the first 70 days -- a global socialist happy with the changes Obama has made, and ‘you have changed America's relationship with the world,' which is why all of the losers that make up the protesters are breaking bank windows," Limbaugh said. "But the slobbering, the slobbering - this guy, folks I'm telling you - if he keeps this up throughout the G20, Gordon Brown will come down with anal poisoning and may die from it."
Sanchez found this description to be way over-the-top. But, coincidentally so did some other left-wing storefronts.
"Anal poisoning?" Sanchez said. "Think about what he is saying there. Maybe, no, better yet, don't."
In fact the Huffington Post had a story today decrying Limbaugh, begging the question where Sanchez does his show prep from.
And this isn't the first time there has been an outcry by a lefty over Limbaugh for using that description. On MSNBC's Feb. 4, 2008 "Countdown with Keith Olbermann," the same description, this time in reference to the relationship between Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. and John McCain, R-Ariz., earned Limbaugh the show's "Worst Person in the World" award.
