Rush is Gone. But Never Forgotten.

I’ve been dreading this day.

I’ve known it was coming, likely sooner than later. But even that advance warning wasn’t enough to lessen the blow.

Rush Limbaugh has succumbed to lung cancer.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/rush-limbaugh-dead-talk-radio-conservative-icon

Now if you’re one of my Leftist friends, let me make a suggestion. Refrain from saying anything nasty or catty on my post here, today and for some time to come about Limbaugh or his fans. Don’t do it. I will block and unfriend you faster than you can say “Excellence in Broadcasting Golden Microphone.” And remember, when Leftist icon RBG died, I did not say even one mean thing about her. When someone dies, it’s time to be respectful – not mean-spirited.

Okay, having gotten that out of the way…I would argue that Rush Limbaugh is/was one of the most important social and political figures of the 20th and 21st Centuries. After Ronald Reagan left office, Conservatism seemed adrift. The Rockefeller/Country-Club Republicans had taken hold of the party, let by George H.W. Bush, and again succeeded in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. The party was under the control of the go-along-to-get-along crowd that paid only lip service to Conservative ideals, and that, only during campaign season. Then Rush Limbaugh came along. Brash. Outspoken. Daring. Provocative. Insightful. Funny. He quickly became a lightning rod for Conservative thought, and a favorite target of the Left. He didn’t care. Along the way, Limbaugh virtually single-handedly created AM Talk Radio, and saved the AM dial from a quick and painful death.

Unless you listened to Rush for a long time, I don’t think you could possibly have an idea of his effect on the media, Conservatism, and the social fabric of the nation. Limbaugh was a force of nature, and he was not only unafraid to call out the Left for their wrongheaded policies, he delighted in it. And he could be an equal-opportunity distroyer – when W went off the rails of “Compassionate Conservatism” or McCain and Romney pandered to the Left in their campaigns, Rush let ’em have it, with zero restraint. Simply put, the man was a radio giant. There are names that will go down in the history books as radio broadcast pioneers. First among them will be Rush Limbaugh. Thankfully, Rush spawned a host of talented broadcasters that picked up the banner of Conservative thought and ran with it. Mark Levin. Mark Stein (a frequent guest host). Glenn Beck. Sean Hannity. Laura Ingram. I could go on, but you get the picture. Every one of these folks owe their careers in radio and media to Rush Limbaugh.

In President Trump’s final State of the Union address, he awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Rush Limbaugh. Despite what Liberal hacks like Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer said, it was more than well-deserved. And it came at a time when Limbaugh realized he was dying from stage 4 cancer.

I never met the man, but I feel like I knew him. And words (mine or others) simply can’t explain the impact he had on America, and the good he has done for the Conservative movement. The hole he leaves in talk radio will be filled, but no one will ever be able to take his place. Rest in Peace, Mr. Limbaugh. And well done. BREAKING · 1 HR