If Bill Clinton were an addict, here's how Rush might spin it
By Bill McClellan

Somewhere in a parallel universe, where we are the same people but
things have
happened in slightly differently ways, Rush Limbaugh greets his loyal
listeners
this morning.

"Lots to talk about today. You all know already that Bill Clinton, our former
president, has admitted an addiction to prescription drugs.

"It's interesting to see the way the liberal media are playing this. I'm
looking at a copy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Saturday, October
11th,
edition - the day after the big announcement. Well, the story is on Page 2,
and
right next to his photograph, in large boldface print, is the following
quote:
'I take full responsibility for this problem.'

"That's interesting, folks, because if you look at his actual statement - not
what the liberal media say he said, but what he really said - you get a
different take on it. First, he says he's got back problems. So he's blaming
it
on that. Then he says he had surgery, but the surgery wasn't successful.
So
he's blaming it on the doctors. Then he says the pain medication was
addictive.
So he's blaming it on the pharmaceutical companies. Folks, he blames it on
everybody but himself! But as long as he puts in that obligatory line about
taking responsibility, that's what the liberal media are going to grab:
Clinton takes full responsibility!

"Here's another interesting thing in his statement. I love this one.
He says a lot of athletes have admitted drug problems and have been
treated
like heroes. Huh? Can you name one athlete who admitted a drug problem
and was
then treated like a hero? How about Darryl Strawberry? Maybe liberals
thought
Strawberry was a hero, but I don't think most of us felt that way. And then
Clinton says, 'I refuse to let anyone think I'm doing something heroic
here.'

"You want to know what that's about? He's telling his friends in the liberal
media how he wants this thing played. He wants to be called a hero for
admitting his problem. That's why liberals confuse so many people. They
mean
the opposite of what they say.

"And I'm telling you folks, the liberal media are going to do it. He's going to
be a hero. I can already see the spin on this: Clinton accepts
responsibility! Doesn't blame others!

"I know you don't believe me - 'Rush, not even the liberal media can pull
that
one off!' - but just watch. I'm telling you. Just watch.

"Another thing. I heard him on the radio the other day. He was
whimpering,
'I want to tell you about this because you're like family to me.'
If there are any liberals out there listening, I'd like to ask you this:
Weren't you people like family six weeks ago? How about six months ago?
Two
years ago? But he didn't feel the need to tell you then, did he? So why
now?
You think it could be because he's been caught? Because his high-priced
attorney has told him he'd better act remorseful?

"Speaking of getting caught, have any of you read about those tapes and e-
mails
the cops have? Heh, heh, heh. You won't read them in the mainstream
press, or
hear about them on the Clinton News Network, but they're a hoot. He
sounds like
he's auditioning for a part in the next Cheech and Chong movie. He calls
money
"cabbage," and he refers to his favorite pills as "blue babes." It's always
interesting to hear the way somebody talks when he thinks nobody is
listening.

"I know what liberals are going to say: 'This is a time for
compassion.' Let me be very clear about this, folks. I have compassion.
But my compassion is for all the people who believed in the guy. He was
their
shining star. He could do no wrong. But you know something? I probably
don't
have to worry. Because his followers are going to still believe in him. That's
the thing about liberals! You can't convince them! You can show them the
facts.
You can say, 'Look, here is what he really said, and here is what he really
did,' but they don't want to know the truth. That's the big difference
between
them and us. Liberals are afraid of the truth."

Always had nothing but respect for you, Draginol - but...

" Entertainers on the left who go into rehab for illegal drugs..."

Please. Bit of a narrow-minded comment, yes? I think a far more accurate statement would have been:

"Entertainers who go into rehab for illegal drugs..."

Doesn't matter if you're left wing, right wing, middle of the road. Rush isn't getting so much notice because he's right-wing. Rush is getting so much notice because he's... well, RUSH.

(On that note, despite the fact that I think he's an intolerable SOB, I still wish him the best. Addiction's no laughing matter - for anybody.)

As for me, I consider that the drug fiasco reveals
Rush to be a hypocrite.

But, then, as for me, I have ALWAYS considered Rush to
be a hypocrite.

I don't think any other lone individual has EVER done
so much damage to the world as has been done by Rush.

As a result of Rush, now Americans think that
political discourse must always include cheap shots at
the individuals on the other side.

As a result of Rush, we have NATFA and GATT, with huge
injuries to most Americans, with benefit only to the
elite one percent.

Rush has encouraged bigots to feel comfortable in
their bigotry.

Rush has encouraged racists to feel comfortable being
racists.

Rush has encouraged sexists to be more open and eager
and adamant and aggressive in their sexism.

Rush has encouraged selfish people to be more selfish.

Rush has discouraged unselfish folks from EVER doing
anything unselfish.

Rush has encouraged folks to villify and ridicule and
do hateful things to the drug users, to the homeless,
to anyone down and out.

Rush has destroyed all practical use of the words,
"conservative" and "liberal." By trying to define
liberal as all things stupid or reckless or wasteful
or inefficient or un-American and by trying to refine
conservative as all things good, he has rendered the
words as useless.

Rush has wrecked logical debate. Rather than looking
into the complex issues, dealing with the complexity
which is there, now rightwingers think all things can
be sorted out as "conservative" or "liberal."

Rush has destroyed all hopes for fiscal responsibility
in our country through making out as though
"conservative" equals deficit spending and by painting
each as good.

Rush is responsible for 9-11. Yes! This is not
hyperbole. Rush years ago defended the business of
granting amnesty to illegal aliens. As a result, the
speed of illegal aliens coming in to our country as
increased, the authorities are overwhelmed, things are
out of control. The 9-11 tragedy is because our
country as been so reckless in dealing with illegal
aliens.

If Rush once would like to be honest, Rush should
right now openly announce exactly the truth. The last
we heard was...that he said the housekeeper had not
been truthful in her allegations. REALLY?! What did
she say which was untrue?! Let's hear it.

If Rush once would like to mitigate his enormous
hypocrisy, maybe now Rush could help us reconcile his
wrongdoing with his announced policies toward addicts.
What does he want to do? Should all people in Florida
prisons who have done nothing so serious as Rush...be
released?!

As for me, I consider Rush to be a fake and a fraud
and a hateful man and a hypocrite.

BUT...well, hell, this is not new.

Sincerely,

Andy Johnson
former member, Florida House
"Down to Business Andy Johnson"
weekdays, Jacksonville, on AM1280, noon--3 p.m.
downtobusiness@yahoo.com

In what way is Rush a hypocrite? Because he got addicted to pain medication? Have you ever had a back injury?

It's amazing how some people will put Rush in the same boat as people who do crack. No one who gets addicted to crack can say "Oh, this is an illegal drug?"

FYI, Rush is a hypocrite not because he's addicted, but because he has consistently called for the prosecution of illegal drug users. (Look around, there are a ton of quotes; those above in this thread are just a start.) Needless to say, though, he won't be calling for his own prosecution.

All we on the left ask is that these hypocritical, moralizing gasbags (Rush, Bennett, Newt. etc. etc.) be held to the same standards they espouse. Barring that, they can please shut the fuck up.

Dunno about anyone else, but when I had a full knee reconstruction (arthroscopy, ACL replacement from a graft, removal of floating cartilage), I was given Demerol in the hospital, took Tylenol with codeine for two days when I got out, and then stuck to Advil. I somehow managed to avoid addiction. I have no idea how this is relevant to Rush's hypocrisy, but you seemed to imply a "walk a mile in his shoes" kind of thing, so there you go.

I don't think that you can look at Rush's pain killer addiction in the same light as the illegal drugs that he is against. When was the last time cocaine was prescribed by a doctor? The people who are taking illegal drugs started so on their own will. His pain killer addiction started after back surgery.

Scott G-S, the type of pain treatment that you described is not the same as a lot of pain management. You had short post opt treatment. You did not go home needing a month of vicodin. You weren't in the hospital for weeks on morphine. *Those* are the people who risk addiction. I have been on long term pain management, and I can see how people get in trouble.

It's easy to call others "hypocrites", but I have yet to know somebody long term that hasn't done something hypocritical in their life.

I think Rush Limbaugh's confession, in order to avoid being prosecuted, is God's way of telling Rush to quit being a judgmental moron. (I edited that, believe me.) It is ironic that the one most fervent egotist on the radio or television that made his living by calling himself "next to God", and made statements like, "From God's mouth to my ear, from my mouth to your ear.", is now being judged by the same media that he helped create and that he is a part of. They thrive on the misery of others by broadcasting everyone else's problems like it is the world's business. Let's ask Mr. Limbaugh what he thinks about that position, now, that he is on the other end. Of course the people who have no opinion without it having come out of Mr. Limbaugh's mouth first, are trying to defend him. They don't want to admit to themselves or others that they so magnificently wrong for all these years. Life was so great for them when being a biggot and a judgemental butthead was OK, since they were "... just quoting what Rush said, and he is a national figure, don't you know?"
Part of being addicted is delusional thinking, which is part of Mr. Limbaugh's M.O. Anyone who is enough of an egomaniacal (trying to think of a word to describe him that doesn't have a somewhat slang explative meaning a man's sexual organ) person to think he is God's messenger to tell the world who should be judged and who shouldn't is crazier than anyone thinking they are Napoleon, in my opinion. I pray that he has to ask someone who he has raked over the coals on the air, as is happening to Rush Limbaugh himself now, (for instance, Robert Downey Jr.) to be his sponsor and help him stay sober. Maybe, just maybe, that will give him the opportunity to gain some shred of humility and he can admit to the rest of the world how utterly wrong he has been. IF NOT, he won't stay sober anyway.

Draginol,
It's amazing to me that you can ask some of these questions. Let me address them, one at a time:
Q: "In what way is Rush a hypocrite? Because he got addicted to pain medication? Have you ever had a back injury?

A: Rush limbaugh is a hypocrite because he has made living by holding himself up as an examplary model for others, who is so above doing anything wrong that he has the right to condemn others, on the air. Not because he is addicted, but because he would be facing charges himself right now if he was held up to the same standards he has said others should face. Period. Yes, I have had a back injury. At a certain point one has to be honest with their physician and tell them they are no longer needing medication that makes them delusional and causes them to have an attitude with everyone else. This leads us to your last redundant question.

Q: It's amazing how some people will put Rush in the same boat as people who do crack. No one who gets addicted to crack can say "Oh, this is an illegal drug?"

A: The Betty Ford clinic was originally established by and for people who thought the drugs they were using were "OK" because they were received by prescription, but, later discovered that they had to do sometimes illegal things as well as things that disgust them about other people in order to stay on the "high" they are on. That is the same reason and way a crack head does it. They also figured out that these same drugs, although legal, were eventually going to kill them. One of the first things an addict has to come to grips with is the fact that he has spent years making himself feel better by pointing at others and saying, "At least I am not as bad as that guy." The type of drug one does, the consequences they faced, how much money they spent, or the amount of the drug they did, was not what makes someone an addict. Having found out that you can stop for periods of time but also "FINDING THAT YOU CAN'T STAY STOPPED ON YOUR OWN", is what makes a person an addict.

Karma Girl,

As I am trying to be helpful here, I won't make comments, but will only impart experience. Illegally obtaining prescription drugs is just as illegal as obtaining illegal drugs. Obviously, you didn't realise it, but cocaine is a prescription drug (U.S.P. Cocaine) dispensed by physicians for people who can't take most anesthetics. It is easily absorbed into nasal veins and capillaries for people who can't use injections because of hemophilia (they would bleed to death if they used a needle and opened the veins). Sigmund Freud introduced cocaine to the United States in his day, and it is still carried by most hospital pharmacies.

Your childish stance of trying to accuse someone else of hypocrisy to defend Mr. Limbaugh is really ridiculous, considering they were defending the people that "HE", Rush Limbaugh judges, condemns, and accuses daily for a living.

As to your advice to Scott concerning how; no one that you have known on a long term basis is perfect, please remind Mr. Limbaugh of that same advice the next time he says, "From God's Mouth to My Ear, From My Mouth To Your Ear," as if he has been ordained by God to be a messenger of Judgement.

What is this left wing entertainer comment? You are the only one who mentioned anything about what political affiliation he has. Do you really think Betty Ford was left-wing? How about Ronald Regan's family? How about George Bush's family? Are they left wing? All these comments about Rush Limbaugh aren't about him being right wing, they are about him saying one thing while doing the opposite. That is what a hypocrite is. Look it up. For all the criticism of Al Gore and Bill Clinton he delivered, you notice they haven't said ANYTHING about Mr. Limbaugh, just like when they declined to comment on George Bush's past history, because, as Al Gore stated, "Everyone has a past." Most people just aren't held up to public scrutiny over the mistakes they made, like Mr. Limbaugh does to others everyday, for a living.
Entertainers on the left? Are you really that paranoid?

Anthony R., You sound like such an insightful person, right up until you said, "...The problem for Rush is that on top of his pain med problem, he is Rush Limbaugh; therefore he isn’t allowed to mention race or have any type of human failing because he is a conservative. " Where have you been living, under a rock? Race? He is constantly being reprimanded by whatever network he works for because of his racist comments. What the hell does that have to do with being conservative? I guess what you are admitting then, is that to be right wing, you have to be a racist, correct? What does human failure have to do with being a conservative? No one is mentioning his being right wing, they are talking about him condemning other people for the same things he does himself.

Karma Girl obviously knew that Cocaine was used by prescription but was saying that it is phenomonally rare. When you talk about Cocaine addiction, be real. It is the recreational user we are talking about. You seem to be talking out of both sides of your mouth here. You say on one hand that you won't make comments but will "impart experience" then you go and call Karma Girl childish.

Everyone has an inherent Left or Right stance whether they realize it or not. Very few people in this world can be impartial to much of anything. Many people take themselves far too seriously. Couldn't Rush possibly be intending to be tongue-and-cheeky with the "From God's Mouth to My Ear..."?

Did Rush excuse his addiction? Did he ever declare that what he did was fine? Maybe his attitude toward addicts will change after this experience....maybe not. I know I have had experiences that changed the way I looked at things. I do know that Rush went for rehab. I also know that there are a lot of addicts that wouldn't do rehab unless they had absolutely no choice.

I have known alcoholics that have destroyed their lives and still won't give it up. Others somehow get the message that they don't want to go that route and do something about it. Some of us just don't get addicted. The only addictions I have, and I have made a conscious decision to not do anything about, are with caffeine and chocolate. They aren't illegal, they don't alter anything other than my weight, but they still are addictions.

Rush has damaged disks in his neck and a spinal injury that was not successfully treated with surgery. I have had pain that has made me think that I would do absolutely anything for it to stop. A doctor gave him a way to stop it and he used it. Whether you judge it as right or wrong, it seems understandable.

Oh please, you are well aware of the reason he is getting slammed - its the sheer hypocrisy of his position on drugs.

A very prominent conservative has been shown publicy to be a hypocrit and that is news.

TECH CAT,SOUNDS LIKE ALL THE THINGS YOU BELEIVE IN ARE FROM THE SAME SCRIPT THAT G.W.B. USES, GET REAL LIMBAUGH IS A DRUGGIE