RUSH: Stephanie in Charlotte, North Carolina, nice to have you with us on the EIB Network. Hello.
CALLER: Thanks, Rush. I called today to ask you why you’re not on Twitter?
RUSH: I’m too famous to be on Twitter. If I started a Twitter page, half the time people would be demanding Twitter this, Tweet this and Tweet that, and I’m busy enough. I’ve looked at people who Tweet, I’ve gone there and looked, and I don’t have the urge to tell you, ‘Okay, I’m going to the bathroom. I’ll be back in ten minutes.’
CALLER: I understand that. But when you JIP the president during your program and you add your commentary, it’s one of my favorite things that you do. When I think about when he’s giving primetime speeches, which is all the time now, it would be nice to have your thoughts and your humor.
RUSH: Well, now, you are very shrewd, and I am flattered that you are excited about the possibility that I would Tweet. You know, Tweet, Facebook, all this stuff, I’ve never been a joiner. And whatever the conventional wisdom is, I’m out. And if the hordes are doing it, I don’t. I’m not a sheep and so forth. Besides, there’s a strategic reason. If I start Tweeting every night what I think of what Obama said why should anybody listen to me the next day?
CALLER: Oh, I doubt that you would run out of thought and commentary. I mean it’s 140 characters quick —
RUSH: Yeah, but not you’re just talking about one Tweet, you want a whole series of Tweets during an Obama speech.
CALLER: Really, honestly, I’d settle for a good laugh. You’re so good providing that. I’m not giving up on you here.
RUSH: That’s not a bad idea because I do sometimes with friends, you know, i-chatting or instant messaging with people while I’m watching one of those speeches and those things are pretty funny back and forth.
CALLER: I don’t doubt it. I’d like to read them.
RUSH: Well —
CALLER: Think about it.
RUSH: I will.
CALLER: Don’t say ‘yes’ right now, just think about it.
RUSH: All right, I’ll put it in the hopper and ponder it.
CALLER: Yeah, I appreciate that.
RUSH: First question I’ve had about Tweeting.
CALLER: Well, there are so many twits out there Tweeting. It would be nice to have good commentary from time to time on that.
RUSH: I know. I mean it’s a vast wasteland, isn’t it?
CALLER: Yeah, and a fresh perspective, speaking to the — I’m 26 years old, I’ve been listening to you since — I cannot remember a time when you were not on the radio between noon and three. It’s been a part of my education, so to speak. So to have you enter into another medium that I am a part of, it would be great.
RUSH: I appreciate that. I really do.
CALLER: Well, thank you. My dad had me listen to you all through summer break actually when I was in elementary school in the mid-nineties, I requested for my social studies teacher to be able to call you to ask your opinion as a part of a project. He sent me to the principal’s office, the principal heard my question, sat me down at his desk and for five days let me call you between noon and three for a whole week, I never did once get through to you.
RUSH: What was the question, what was the question, do you remember?
CALLER: Oh, I don’t think that was as important as the fact that I was trying to call you. I think it was about the conflict in Bosnia. I think that’s what it was.
RUSH: Oh, yeah. Yeah.
CALLER: But I was shocked that I didn’t get suspended. If I tried that today, I’d be suspended, expelled, you know, I’d be sent to the principal’s office for a totally different reason. But he let me sit in his office for five full days, I tried you three hours a day, five days.
RUSH: Amazing.
CALLER: Yeah, I learned more in that week than I probably did in the rest of my public education.
RUSH: By the way, do you have a cold?
CALLER: No.
RUSH: Must be your phone. You sound like you have a cold.
CALLER: Sorry. I’m on a cell phone.
RUSH: Yeah, that’s what it is. It’s not your phone, it’s the way my cochlear implant hears cell phones. Sometimes I mistake things. You sound all stuffed up, I was going to suggest you go out and get some Zicam.
CALLER: Nope, got it in the house already. We love it and use it all the time.
RUSH: It works, right?
CALLER: Yes, it does, my husband gets colds all the time.
RUSH: Terrific. All right, well, hey, Stephanie, I’m going to seriously consider this Tweet stuff. You know there are a bunch of fake Rush Limbaughs out there already Tweeting?
CALLER: I know, but you can tell they’re not you. I mean there’s only one Rush Limbaugh.
RUSH: Well, you can, but —
CALLER: Yes.
RUSH: Some of the sponges that are out there Tweeting all day may not know the difference until the real one showed up, you might be right about that.
CALLER: Right. Think about it. We appreciate you so much. You’ve had such a positive impact on me and my family and my life so I’m looking forward to having you around until everybody agrees with you.
RUSH: Well, I’m not leaving ’til that happens so that will be a long, long time. Thanks, Stephanie, very much. I appreciate it.