He warned that politicians like Castle, who he called a RINO - Republican in name only - would sully the Republican brand. In 2010, Limbaugh backed Tea Party activist Christine O'Donnell over Mike Castle in the Delaware Senate primaries. In 1994, Limbaugh urged Republicans to stand by then-Senate candidate Mitt Romney who ran 'much to the left' of where he is today in hopes it would move politics to the right.Īs the years went on, however, Limbaugh pushed for increasingly conservative candidates. Limbaugh was able to hone in on what concerns voters had about the Republican party, Rosenwald added, making him an influential force during elections.Įarly on, he used that power pragmatically, according to the author. The polarizing and provocative conservative radio host had been a leading voice for the political right since the 1980s. He could raise hundreds of thousands - in a couple of cases, millions of dollars - for a candidate in one 20-second sound bite if he so chose.'ĭuration 2:06 Rush Limbaugh has died at 70. Limbaugh was in tune with his audience - a group of Republican primary voters that spent hours each day listening in as if he were a trusted friend or family member, said Rosenwald. In 2012, after lawyer and activist Sandra Fluke testified at a Congressional hearing on the Obama administration's requirement that health plans cover women's contraceptives, Limbaugh publicly called her a 'slut' and 'prostitute.' He apologized, claiming it was an attempt at humour. 'He said things that were racist, that were misogynistic, that were homophobic and that were otherwise plain awful sometimes,' said Rosenwald.ĭuring the AIDS epidemic, Limbaugh mocked gay men dying of the disease in a regular segment called 'AIDS Update.' He later expressed regret for the feature. While many on the right saw Limbaugh as a hero to their cause, liberal-minded critics saw him as a hateful ' demagogue.' 'The result was had to pay attention to what people like Limbaugh were saying,' Rosenwald said. He appealed to his listeners emotions and they took note. Over time, he developed his incendiary style, not shying away from casting aspersions on Democrats and accusing them of hating America, or attacking Americans' core values. John Hensel attaches an American flag to the gate of the home of his friend and talk radio host Rush Limbaugh on Feb.

Dtrump on rush limbo