Rush Remembered: Longtime Limbaugh Listener Appears Again on 2nd Anniversary of Speak Radio Titan’s Passing

At this time, Feb. 17, marks the second anniversary of the demise of speak radio legend Rush Limbaugh, who saved the AM dial from demise along with his pioneering nationwide conservative speak radio program. For greater than 30 years, Limbaugh knowledgeable and entertained thousands and thousands of followers along with his eager political insights and irreverent humor that skewered the Left. I used to be amongst these thousands and thousands who tuned in weekdays from midday to three p.m. ET and wrote this tribute on Feb. 17, 2021:

It was information that speak radio devotees, amongst whom I lengthy have counted myself, had been anticipating—make that dreading—for months. However when the information broke Wednesday shortly after midday EST, that didn’t make it any much less hurtful.

When a Limbaugh got here on the radio on the typical time, and it was not Rush however as an alternative his spouse, Kathryn, it was painfully apparent what she was going to say. Particularly, that the nationally syndicated, conservative speak present titan had misplaced his battle with stage 4 lung most cancers on the age of 70.

Limbaugh had introduced the most cancers prognosis to his thousands and thousands of listeners simply over a yr in the past, on Feb. 3, 2020. He had continued to host his three-hour program weekdays to the extent that his declining well being and the medical remedies permitted, with quite a lot of visitor hosts filling in as wanted.

Rush’s final on-air look was Feb. 2. Kathryn served as the ultimate visitor host Wednesday, so to talk, albeit only for 10 minutes, previous a “better of” compilation.

“I do know that I’m most definitely not the Limbaugh that you just tuned in to hearken to as we speak. I, such as you, very a lot want Rush was behind this golden microphone proper now,” Kathryn started, including: “It’s with profound disappointment I have to share with you immediately that our beloved Rush … handed away this morning on account of issues from lung most cancers.”

She continued in a somber monologue:

On behalf of the Limbaugh household, I might personally wish to thank every certainly one of you who prayed for Rush and impressed him to maintain going. You rallied round Rush and lifted him up when he wanted you probably the most.

To thank Limbaugh for the hundreds of hours of his distinctive mix of knowledge and leisure over the previous 30-plus years, I had “rallied round Rush” late final yr in the one method I may consider.

Having misplaced each mother and father and a sister to most cancers after the normal oncology routine of surgical procedure, radiation, and chemotherapy (which a few of us deride as “lower, burn, and poison”) failed them, I despatched Limbaugh an electronic mail urging him to hunt out various, holistic medical remedy on the premise of “What do it’s a must to lose?”

I offered contact data for a nationally recognized complementary drugs practitioner in Palm Seaside, Florida, his personal yard.

Whether or not he ever reached out to that physician’s clinic, I’ve no method or realizing. However I do know that he learn my electronic mail, as a result of a couple of weeks later, I unexpectedly acquired what amounted to a thank-you reward bundle on my doorstep from Limbaugh himself.

In it have been an outsized espresso mug with Limbaugh’s signature on one facet and an illustration of the U.S. flag over the phrases “Protect America” on the opposite; two notice pads; a full-sized American flag; and a mirror-framed photograph of Limbaugh giving a thumbs-up throughout President Donald Trump’s State of the Union tackle on Feb. 4, 2020, the place he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Though finally unsuccessful, my Rx to Rush was the least I may do as a fan who had listened to his present nearly since its inception in 1988. I used to be working on the time at a radio station in Manchester, New Hampshire, which carried this system.

A few years later, after I bought a job as a duplicate editor on the Portsmouth Herald newspaper, additionally in New Hampshire, I might have lunch in my automotive simply to hearken to his present.

I suppose that qualifies me as a “Dittohead,” the nickname Rush coined for his listeners. His liberal critics by no means understood Limbaugh’s enchantment, disparagingly suggesting that his conservative listeners have been taking their political marching orders from him.

However that was the precise reverse of the reality: In a media world dominated by liberals, Limbaugh gave uncommon voice to what we already believed about particular person liberty, private accountability, and restricted authorities.

He delivered all of it with an irreverent humor—and with what he jokingly known as “expertise on mortgage from God”—that will likely be troublesome to switch.

“From as we speak on, there will likely be an incredible void in our lives and, in fact, on the radio,” Kathryn Limbaugh mentioned on the air.

That’s a truth. Two different issues are additionally plain: One is that Limbaugh and speak radio saved the AM dial from oblivion at a time when music was transferring wholesale to FM. The opposite is that for all their criticism of speak radio, liberals all the time have been envious as a result of it was the one data medium they don’t dominate; they sought unsuccessfully to seek out liberal hosts who may match Rush’s enchantment.

For speak radio devotees, Rush Limbaugh’s demise is like dropping a member of the household—and little doubt our response resembles how longtime followers of “Jeopardy!” mourned the latest lack of Alex Trebek, who hosted the beloved recreation present for even longer than Rush was on nationwide radio.

Limbaugh’s outsized footwear will likely be onerous to fill. Nonetheless, the 600-plus radio stations of his EIB (Excellence in Broadcasting) Community will want a everlasting alternative host for these three hours a day, 5 days every week.

Succession plans presumably have been mentioned when it was turning into clear that Limbaugh’s most cancers was incurable, but when so, the plans have but to be introduced. Loads of potential heirs may vie for the noon-to-3 p.m. EST throne of speak radio, as a result of Limbaugh spawned a whole era of conservative speak radio hosts with native applications throughout the nation.

As former Vice President Mike Pence mentioned Wednesday: “There was just one Rush Limbaugh.” Nonetheless, my nominee as his alternative can be Chris Plante, who hosts the 9 a.m.-to-noon present previous Rush on affiliate WMAL-FM in Washington, D.C., and who shares Rush’s biting wit, popular culture savvy, and irreverent humorousness.

As for that expertise on mortgage from God? On Wednesday, that mortgage was paid again in full.

Godspeed, Rush Limbaugh.

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