CBS This Morning’s co-hosts on Thursday joined the classless chorus of attacks trashing Rush Limbaugh in death. The journalists used words like “divisive, “racist” and “bigot” for the radio icon. Laughably, reporter Jim Axelrod blamed Limbaugh for the rise of “partisan media.” That’s right. The network of Dan Rather and his failed attempt to defeat George W. Bush with fake news is blaming someone else for “partisan media.”
CBS This Morning is the same show that, just a few weeks ago, praised porn king Larry Flynt for being a nuanced progressive figure, rather than a sleazy exploiter of women. Not much nuance in the Limbaugh story. Axelrod lectured viewers: “Until the very end, Rush Limbaugh was divisive…. The polarizing host helped pave the way for modern partisan media. In the 1980s, Limbaugh made a name as a right-wing talk radio host.”
The fact that CBS journalists don’t realize they are part of the partisan media helps explain Limbaugh’s appeal to millions of Americans. Axelrod added, “Through the years he often used his airwaves as a political weapon where mockery, anger, and insults were commonplace.”
The reporter piled on: “His critics labeled him misogynist, racist, homophobic and always pushing an 'us versus them' mentality.” Axelrod turned to NPR’s liberal media correspondent David Folkenflik. He derided, “He also paved the path for a Donald Trump presidency. A combination of showmanship, bombast, gleefulness, and at times bigotry and prejudice.”
This Morning’s co-hosts offered a few nice words. Anthony Mason called Limbaugh a “conservative radio icon.” Gayle King conceded, “Certainly no denying his influence and legacy. No one can deny that.”
Yet on February 11, 2021, after the death of Hustler publisher Flynt, Mason enthused, ““it's interesting, he opposed the death penalty, he favored same-sex marriage. He spoke out against the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Politically he was very progressive. He was not what you would think that Larry Flynt was going to be.” Co-host Tony Dokoupil marveled over finding an issue of the porn magazine as a ten year-old kid: “It changed my life forever.”
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A transcript is below. Click “expand” to read more.
CBS This Morning
2/18/21
7:16 AM ET
ANTHONY MASON: This morning, many leading Republicans are paying tribute to conservative radio icon Rush Limbaugh. The 70-year-old died of lung cancer yesterday. Limbaugh, who is known for his inflammatory comments and views, helped shape the conservative movement. His death comes as the Republican Party faces a new crossroads. Jim Axelrod looks at Limbaugh's legacy and impact on the GOP.
RUSH LIMBAUGH: The Democrats are going to tear this country apart.
JIM AXELROD: Until the very end, Rush Limbaugh was divisive.
LIMBAUGH: The people that voted for Trump know what the left has been doing to our country. It has nothing to do with race. It has nothing to do with white supremacy, nothing to do with white this or that. It has to do with the left destroying western civilization.
AXELROD: The polarizing host helped pave the way for modern partisan media. In the 1980s, Limbaugh made a name as a right-wing talk radio host. And through the years often used his airwaves as a political weapon where mockery, anger, and insults were commonplace.
LIMBAUGH: One of the problems in America today is societal decay. The family unit is falling apartment.
AXELROD: In the '90s, Limbaugh gave voice to Republicans like Newt Gingrich and promoted conservative causes. Teetering somewhere between being part of the GOP establishment and on the fringe. David Folkenflik is a media correspondent for NPR.
DAVID FOLKENFLIK (NPR media correspondent): What you saw him do was pave the way for Fox News. What you saw him do is pave the way for somebody who's even more conservative, even more conspiracy minded, somebody like Glenn beck.
MAN: Rush is God.
AXELROD: His fans were loyal. Nicknamed Dittoheads because Limbaugh said what they felt. He attracted around 15.5 million listeners a week, making him the most listened to radio host in America.
FOLKENFLIK: They loved his style and his spirit and his fight, his rhetorical fight. And forgave him excess, any hypocrisy.
AXELROD: His critics labeled him misogynist, racist, homophobic and always pushing an “us versus them” mentality.
LIMBAUGH: We have a major immigration problem in a political party that needs a permanent underclass of voters that wants that parade of illegal people who are uneducated, don't even speak the language, they want them here. If any race of people should not have guilt about slavery, it's Caucasians. The white race has probably had fewer slaves and for a briefer period of time than any other.
AXELROD: In 2012 he said this about a woman fighting for expanded access to birth control.
LIMBAUGH: It means you're a slut, right? Makes you a prostitute. She wants to be paid to have sex.
FOLKENFLIK: He also paved the path for a Donald Trump presidency. A combination of showmanship, bombast, gleefulness, and at times bigotry and prejudice. Knit together in a way that appalled its critics and enthused his fans.
AXELROD: Last year, former President Trump awarded Limbaugh the presidential medal of freedom.
DONALD TRUMP: He is the greatest fighter and winner that you will ever meet. Rush Limbaugh, thank you.
AXELROD: After his death Wednesday, Mr. Trump called in to Fox News to pay tribute to Rush Limbaugh.
TRUMP: Rush was really special. He was a really special guy. You said, irreplaceable, and it's true he's irreplaceable.
AXELROD: The death of rush Limbaugh raises the question who is the conservative media figure to steer the party next? For CBS This Morning, I'm Jim Axelrod.
GAYLE KING: Certainly no denying his influence and legacy. No one can deny that.
MASON: Profound impact on the party. No question about that.
TONY DOKOUPIL: When the history of our times is written, he will be a major figure.
KING: Exactly that. Thinking about his family today.
