RUSH: This is David, Richmond, Virginia. It’s great to have you, sir. Thank you for calling.
CALLER: Hello, El Rushbo. This is my pleasure.
RUSH: Well, thank you. I appreciate that, sir.
CALLER: Yes, sir. I had a comment I wanted to pass on to you. Months ago at my church we had a men stepping up group, where most of the fathers and their sons went and he was telling us how to be a man. We would talk and, you know, just everybody was bantering stuff off each other. So the pastor, he goes, “You all go and tell us who’s a mentor to you, a mentor or somebody who you looked up to.”
Well, the pastor went last, and he said, “In 1988, I was going to Penn State, and it was a guy on the radio named Rush Limbaugh.” He said, “In that day, nobody in any medium — any medium, television, anything — told it like it was, told it how it was the truth, and stood by what he said through good and through bad.” So I just wanted to pass that on to you. You were a role model for my pastor 26 years ago. I thought that was very interesting.
RUSH: That is quite humbling, actually. It takes a lot of courage to somebody to admit that today because there is so many people lined up to ridicule somebody who would say that, and he appears to be fearless. Now, granted he was among his flock. You’d assume that most of the people in your group there were supporters, but that’s still humbling. I really appreciate your telling me that. What is his first name?
CALLER: My name is David.
RUSH: And what is his first name?
CALLER: Oh, his first name. His name is Ken.
RUSH: Ken. And you guys are in Richmond, Virginia?
CALLER: Yes, sir.
RUSH: Well, gee, I’m kind of speechless here. That really is a great thing for him to say, and I’m glad you got through to repeat it to me. We try to be role models for everybody here. Youth of America, even pastors, mentors, what have you.
CALLER: Yes. Yes, sir. ‘Cause he was talking about… You know, like some people said their father, and then he just said, “Speak the truth to be a man. Speak the truth. You have to stand up for what is right,” and he said, “Rush Limbaugh did that in the eighties when nobody else was doing it.”
RUSH: Well, that was true, not because of any bravery of mine. It was simply in 1988 the media still had their monopoly. There were only three networks, and CNN was it on cable. The rest of it was entertainment. So CNN was the only cable news network. I was it in terms of national media that was oriented toward conservatism.
Now, I realize that some of you think that a pastor should have chosen a biblical figure, when mentioning a role model or mentor or inspirational figure. But I think the pastor had real-world examples on his mind. Besides, for those of you in Rio Linda who think that the pastor should have chosen someone biblical, don’t forget: I have talent on loan from God. So Pastor Ken’s choice is not that strange.
David, seriously, I really appreciate it.
Make sure you tell him that I profoundly appreciate that.