Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh called for Democrats to riot in Denver at the Democratic National Convention in August. Local news outlets were understandably appalled.
I can't imagine the media firestorm if an Obama supporter advocated violence at a political convention or at any other gathering. Fox News would be playing that nonstop, Hannity would have a field day.
So, should we start holding all politicians and media blowhards to the same standard?
I want to know whether John McCain or any of his people are regular Rush Limbaugh listeners. I want to ask the people in his campaign: "How could you sit and listen to that show for 20 years, knowing that these were the types of views that Mr. Limbaugh subscribed to?"
Limbaugh will of course get a pass because he's conservative and he's white. He can incite violence and use emotional or shock rhetoric to make his point and the country either gives him a pass or pats him on the back and asks him onto the Sunday news shows to expand on his "ideas."
Meantime, the media waits for another gotcha story on Obama or Hillary.
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The alarmed Denver ABC affiliate reported on the story Thursday morning:
[Limbaugh] said the riots would ensure a Democrat is not elected as president, and his listeners have a responsibility to make sure the riots happen. "Riots in Denver, at the Democrat Convention, would see to it that we don't elect Democrats," Limbaugh said during Wednesday's radio broadcast. He then went on to say that's the best thing that could happen to the country. Limbaugh cited Al Sharpton, saying the Barack Obama supporter threatened to superdelegates that "there's going to be trouble" if the presidency is taken from Obama."
But neither Sharpton, nor any Democrat, has advocated violence.
Limbaugh later backpedaled from his statements when callers to his show complained. "I'm not inspiring or inciting," he said, "I am dreaming of riots in Denver."
He also then tried to foist his idea of rioting at the convention onto Democrats. "There won't be riots at our [Republican] convention," he said. "We [Republicans] don't riot. We don't burn our cars. We don't burn down our houses. We don't kill our children. We don't do half the things the American left does."