Carrying on the Legacy
I first became aware of Rush Limbaugh 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).
Rush Limbaugh
I had believed in conservatism for most of my life but never heard it expressed with such fun and confidence as when Rush articulated it that night.
Toward the end of the segment, correspondent Steve Kroft says to the audience, “you’re either laughing or fuming.” I was laughing and later told 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.
Rush died earlier this year, and today his show comes to an official end. I’ve often heard the expression, “He’s as good as three other men.” Well, that’s true for Rush Limbaugh. Three hosts will try to replace him on two new talk shows.
Clay Travis and Buck Sexton
Buck Sexton
Starting in 1997, Premiere Networks syndicated The Rush Limbaugh Show and recently announced the launch of “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show.” This new show will air in the timeslot held by Rush for more than three decades. I have been unable to pin down the number of stations that will air the new show but, Premiere Networks provides over 100 programs to more than 7,000 radio stations. The Rush Limbaugh Show had been carried by about 600 stations.
After his graduation from Amherst College, Buck Sexton worked for the Central Intelligence Agency. After four years with the CIA, he joined the New York Police Department Counterterrorism Center. In 2011, Sexton became the national security editor for conservative media company The Blaze. This led to more opportunities in broadcasting. Sexton has been a guest host for Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Glenn Beck. Since 2017, Buck Sexton has hosted The Buck Sexton Show syndicated by Premiere Networks.
Clay Travis
Although born and raised in Tennessee, Clay Travis began his professional career as a lawyer in the Virgin Islands. While still working as an attorney, Travis Pursued his interest in sports and in 2005 started writing for CBS Sports. Throughout the first year, he received no pay. However, after that, he quit law and wrote for CBS fulltime. Later he worked for online sports sites. In 2011 he founded Outkickthecoverage.com and grew the website into one of the most visited college football sites. He has become a respected sports broadcaster. In 2015, he signed a deal with Fox Sports to license his entire sports media brand.
Dan Bongino
In March of this year, Cumulus Media signed Dan Bongino to replace The Rush Limbaugh Show on their stations in 87 markets. Bongino worked as a New York City Police (NYPD) officer before becoming a special agent with the United States Secret Service. He ran unsuccessfully for Congress as a Republican in 2012, 2014, and 2016. He has worked as a radio host, has been a guest host for both the Sean Hannity and Mark Levin radio shows, and has frequently appeared on Fox News. Currently, Cumulus carries his one-hour podcast.
Dan Bongino has been a vocal supporter of Donald Trump. In June of 2020, Bongino announced that he had invested in Parler, a Twitter alternative. I had just moved to Parler and began following Bongino on the site and in the news. I’m happy that he has the opportunity to continue Rush Limbaugh’s legacy.
My local radio station, KELA, has announced it will carry the Dan Bongino show, and I’m glad. While I respect Buck Sexton, I have serious concerns about Clay Travis. In the comment section below, Let me know what you think of both these new shows as we move forward into a post-Rush America.
