America’s Anchorman is Gone
Rush Limbaugh has been a part of my life for thirty years.
I first became aware of him while stationed in Japan serving with the Navy. On October 6, 1991, Rush appeared on 60 Minutes. That evening I watched the interview on the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS).
I had believed in conservatism for most of my life but never had I heard it expressed with such fun and confidence as when Rush articulated it that night.
Rush Limbaugh at the State of the Union Address in 2020
Toward the end of the segment, correspondent Steve Kroft says to the audience, “you’re either laughing or fuming.” I was laughing and telling my wife, “When we return to the states, I want to hear more from this guy.”
Later Kroft said, “Rush is behaving like a true conservative. Placing his faith in free speech, if not good taste, and in free enterprise. The market will eventually decide.”
Americans did decide. Rush became a bright beacon of the conservative movement and a welcome voice in millions of homes, including my own and I didn’t have to wait for my return to the states to hear him. Armed Forces Radio soon had the first hour of the Rush Limbaugh show on the air.
For the next thirty years, Rush was a part of my life. Perhaps the greatest thing he did was assure me that I was not alone. That growing awareness changed me, millions of other Americans, and the media. We saw the rise of AM talk radio, Fox News, and other conservative sources of information.
Rush, you will be sadly missed.
What did you enjoy about Rush Limbaugh or his radio show? Let me know in the comment section below.
