# Rush Limbaugh, most perfect newsman **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 3, 2007, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497 "2007-04-03T00:03:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/21 "2007-04-03T01:07:11Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla] That is all very well and good, but you have totally and completely failed to actually address the argument submitted for debate in this thread. Coming from you, such a complete and total failure is not unexpected. Nobody, least of all me, is disputing that there are some ignorant “Rush Deniers” out there, living in a fantasy who take issue with the Great One’s accuracy. That these misguided groups and individuals exist is a fact I have already stated. We can simply dismiss these “Rush Deniers” and their arguments out of hand, as fantasies. The debate is over. It is no longer open. It is no longer reasonable to tolerate such viewpoints, or treat them with a respect. Rush Limbaugh has a clear consensus among consumers of news speaking for his accuracy. Mediamatters nothing more than a smear cite seeking to capitolize on Rush Limbaugh’s popularity and reputation by besirching it. It enjoys no such consensus among serious consumers of news. It and you are dismissable and unworthy of serious debate. [/QUOTE] Of course, this being GD, eventually even an excuse of a whoosh is no excuse to become a jerk IMHO ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/22 "2007-04-03T01:08:15Z")
OK, this joke has gone far enough. At least I think it’s a joke. Isn’t it? If not, my friend, you’ve finally left the part of the world that some of us like to call Reality. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/23 "2007-04-03T01:10:24Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla] That is all very well and good, but you have totally and completely failed to actually address the argument submitted for debate in this thread. [/QUOTE] The issue is Limbaugh’s accuracy, and you have totally and completely failed to prove or even argue he was right about any of the stories **RedFury** cited. As for “the argument submitted for debate in this thread” – that Limbaugh can be presumed accurate **because of the size of his audience** – that is dismissable and unworthy of serious debate. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/24 "2007-04-03T01:11:54Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla] Yes, that’s right! Rush Limbaugh is by far the most accurate and most correct person in the news industry. There are so many ways that one can get one’s news and opinions concerning world events. TV, newspapers, the internet, and radio are but a few of the choices that are available to today’s consumer of news. Rush Limbaugh though, commands a wider audience than any other individual purveyor of news and opinion currently available to the American people. Many times so. Of all the places that consumers of news could choose they choose Rush Limbaugh more than anybody else. [/QUOTE] Bullshit. Many time more people choose to get their news from _Friends_ than from Rush Limbaugh. He is therefore deposed by an oligarchy of news reporters living in underpriced apartments in Manhattan. QED! Daniel ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/25 "2007-04-03T01:11:56Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] OK, this joke has gone far enough. At least I think it’s a joke. Isn’t it? [/QUOTE] If I or **elucidator** or **RTFirefly** had posted the OP, you could presume it was a joke. Coming from **Scylla,** I can’t believe it’s not intended seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/26 "2007-04-03T01:12:12Z")
Tell your dear buddy Rush to go fact-check ‘megalomaniac’. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/27 "2007-04-03T01:12:22Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Michael Moore had _Fahrenheit 9/11_ carefully fact-checked by a team of attorneys before he released it. Are you willing to stipulate to the film’s accuracy on that basis? [/QUOTE] Of course **Scylla** will stipulate that, especially as _Fahrenheit 9/11_ has a consensus of consumers of documentaries as the most accurate. (Son of a gun, Moore has got three of the top [eleven](http://www.boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=documentary.htm)!) ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/28 "2007-04-03T01:22:47Z")
Out of bounds and condescending. Are you sure you started this thread with a genuine interest in it being a GD topic? – And yes, **Geo** , certainly appears I’ve been whooshed. Still fail to get the point of Scylla’s OP though – especially here in GD. What’s to debate? But thanks for the heads-up all the same my friend. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/29 "2007-04-03T01:22:58Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] Oh, piffle. Rush does not have “many times” the audience of CNN or CBS or ABC or NBC. He has “many times” the audience of the next most popular blowhard pundit. You started this off with a claim for “news” and he is not in the “news” business. [/quote] You are innacurately characterizing my OP. I am comparing apples to apples. Rush to other newspersons. Your mischaracterization serves to strengthen my argument. If I were to say Rush limbaugh is the strongest person in the whole world, you could not refute that by saying that he is not strong enough to beat up everybody in NYC, LA, or Detroit, simultaneously. I said Rush Limbaugh has many times the audience of any other person in the news. Similarly, you cannot refute that by claiming that some **whole entire networks** likely have largely audiences. You’ve made a truly ridiculous argument. > [@](#): > > (And I do not know whether you or he is deliberately misusing the word “consensus,” but you make no point by making that false claim. A consensus occurs when everyone agrees to the same point (or agrees with reservations, but agrees to go along with a point). No, my friend. The word you are looking for here is “unamimous.” Unanimous would be synonymous with undisputed, and that is clearly not what I am claiming as I have stated the existance of Rush deniers within my OP. A majority is simply more than 50%. a Consensus occurs when you have a supermajority to such a degree that you reach a “harmonious accord” > [@](#): > > Rush has no better than a supermajority as long as anyone at all is listening to O’Liely or Hannitoons or even Al Franken. I’m not sure whether it would be better that the falsehood originated with you (saving Rush from the ignominy of having one more lie exposed) or from Rush.) You’ve attempted to discredit Rush (like he said you would) with false logic. “Consensus” does not equal unanimity, contrary to your attempt to falsely characterize it this way. “Supermajority” and “consensus” are (of course) synonymous. My cite, maestro: [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/consensus](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/consensus) Concede now, and I will spare you the further humiliations awaiting. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/30 "2007-04-03T01:25:38Z")
[QUOTE=RedFury] Are you sure you started this thread with a genuine interest in it being a GD topic? [/QUOTE] Most certainly. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/31 "2007-04-03T01:26:48Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla] You are innacurately characterizing my OP. I am comparing apples to apples. Rush to other newspersons. [/QUOTE] If Rush is a newsperson, so are Rachel, Ross, and Joey. He is as much a newsperson as is the dead skin on my big toe. Comparing his ratings to the ratings of real newspeople is not, repeat, not an apples to apples comparison. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/32 "2007-04-03T01:28:35Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla] I said Rush Limbaugh has many times the audience of any other person in the news. [/quote] You **said** it. Now **prove** it. [QUOTE=Scylla] A majority is simply more than 50%. a Consensus occurs when you have a supermajority to such a degree that you reach a “harmonious accord” [/quote] And then show relevance. If Limbaugh has a larger audience than any other newsman: 1. That still does not equal a supermajority of the entire news-consuming public. 2. And that merely means he is more popular than other newsmen, not that he has a better track record for accuracy. Reality does not automatically conform itself to public opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/33 "2007-04-03T01:28:37Z")
[QUOTE=Left Hand of Dorkness] Bullshit. Many time more people choose to get their news from _Friends_ than from Rush Limbaugh. He is therefore deposed by an oligarchy of news reporters living in underpriced apartments in Manhattan. QED! Daniel [/QUOTE] ::sigh:: **Tomndeb** tried to undermine Rush’s consensus by comparing him to entire networks. You seek to undermine his single person by comparing with an entire category. It does not matter how many people trust their friends, or their Mom’s more than Rush Limbaugh because we all do not share the same friends or the same Mom. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/34 "2007-04-03T01:30:05Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla] That is all very well and good, but you have totally and completely failed to actually address the argument submitted for debate in this thread. Coming from you, such a complete and total failure is not unexpected. Nobody, least of all me, is disputing that there are some ignorant “Rush Deniers” out there, living in a fantasy who take issue with the Great One’s accuracy. That these misguided groups and individuals exist is a fact I have already stated. We can simply dismiss these “Rush Deniers” and their arguments out of hand, as fantasies. The debate is over. It is no longer open. It is no longer reasonable to tolerate such viewpoints, or treat them with a respect. Rush Limbaugh has a clear consensus among consumers of news speaking for his accuracy. Mediamatters nothing more than a smear cite seeking to capitolize on Rush Limbaugh’s popularity and reputation by besirching it. It enjoys no such consensus among serious consumers of news. It and you are dismissable and unworthy of serious debate. [/QUOTE] I’m going with a global warming parody. Not a very good one. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/35 "2007-04-03T01:30:28Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla] A majority is simply more than 50%. a Consensus occurs when you have a supermajority to such a degree that you reach a “harmonious accord” [/QUOTE] As the other fun hole in his logic (I’m assuming Rush offered us this rant as the political equivalent of Soduku, a puzzle for wonks to solve), how do you get anything approaching a majority out of his audience share, let alone a supermajority? Is anyone seriously claiming that more people listen to Rush than **to all other “newspeople” put together**? I mean, you yourself admitted that Rush has a smaller share than just the people on a single network. If that’s the case, how could he possibly have a majority of the listeners among the entire news audience? No, the word you’re looking for isn’t supermajority, it isn’t majority, and it sure as hell isn’t concensus. It **might** be “plurality.” Daniel ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/36 "2007-04-03T01:31:05Z")
[QUOTE=treis] I’m going with a global warming parody. Not a very good one. [/QUOTE] Agreed. Among scientists, a consensus actually **means** something. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/37 "2007-04-03T01:32:06Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla] ::sigh:: **Tomndeb** tried to undermine Rush’s consensus by comparing him to entire networks. You seek to undermine his single person by comparing with an entire category. It does not matter how many people trust their friends, or their Mom’s more than Rush Limbaugh because we all do not share the same friends or the same Mom. [/QUOTE] Fair enough. “Friends” had six stars, right? Rachel, Ross, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler, and that irritating skeleton. I’m guessing that if you divide their audience share by six, they each **still** have a bigger share than Rush. Maybe there’s some sort of synergy going on. But if you reject that, I’ll compare Rush to the Maytag repair man, who probably has a larger audience share. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/38 "2007-04-03T01:32:07Z")
It’s **Gigo** , of course. :smack: Apologies. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/39 "2007-04-03T01:34:00Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Agreed. Among scientists, a consensus actually **means** something. [/QUOTE] If that’s the case (and the thought had occurred to me, only I dismissed it, perhaps giving **Scylla** more credit than he deserves), it’s **really** lame. The flaws in any such analogy are so great that anyone not obsessed with their own wittiness would spot them immediately and reject the analogy. Shit, my comparison between Rush and Ross is a better analogy than the one between Rush and Global Warming, and I saw the flaws in my analogy pretty quickly. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497/40 "2007-04-03T01:34:13Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] You **said** it. Now **prove** it. [/quote] I gave you a cite. Do you have one to refute it? > [@](#): > > And then show relevance. If Limbaugh has a larger audience than any other newsman: > > 1. That still does not equal a supermajority of the entire news-consuming public. I merely claimed “consensus” which my dictionary defines as a majority. It was **Tomndeb** who told me Rush represented a “supermajority.” I was pleased to hear it and I suspected as much. However, I was unwilling to state it until I knew it was a fact. Once **Tomndeb** stated that Rush had a “Supermajority” I knew it was true, because **Tomndeb** would never lie to me. You’re not saying he lied, are you? > [@](#): > > 1. And that merely means he is more popular than other newsmen, not that he has a better track record for accuracy. Reality does not automatically conform itself to public opinion. Do we not live in “Consensus reality?” Is that not truth? Are you suggesting that there is a higher reality independant of our opinions and beleifs that is immalleable and unmanipulable by them? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rush-limbaugh-most-perfect-newsman/398497.md?page=3)