(CNN) – A conservative media watchdog group says recent Democratic attacks on Rush Limbaugh may have given a big boost to the talk radio host's ratings.
According to the Media Research Center, stations that carry Limbaugh's day time talk show experienced a "dramatic surge" of listeners in February - the month when congressional Democrats and even President Obama publicly took swipes at the conservative talker.
"President Obama declared war on Rush Limbaugh and his ratings went through the roof," said Media Research Center's Brent Bozell. "If that's not a magnificent backfire, I'm not sure what is."
Democrats have been eager to paint the divisive Limbaugh as the de facto Republican leader, especially after the radio host's controversial statement that he hoped the president's economic policies would fail.
Obama himself warned congressional Democrats in late January that they need to "can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done."
From CNN Politics
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El Rushbo already has the highest ratings in all talk radio. The attacks on Rush are typical bait & switch by liberals, trying to take the focus away from their power grab and out of control spending. Its not working.
Why would anyone with working brain cells listen to Rush in the first place?
Groovy! As a rabid conservative I'm rubbing my hands! And I must also add that the Obamatons' political barometer is soundly out of whacks – this situation was so predictable, yet they kept going for it.
I can hardly wait for an attempt at inflicting the Fairness Doctrine – we're iitching for fight!
I think people enjoy a good freak show
::GASP!:: What a shocker! Please don't tell me Fox "News'" ratings are rising too! I couldnt take that! HAHAHA. Hardly a backfire. More like according to plan if anything. News flash to the out of touch media. I, a die hard liberal zygote bbqer, listen to Rush Limbaugh's comedy hour. And watch the Fox Fear Factor. Funny how there's no numbers of how many listeners the comedian Rush Limbaugh has gained though. Maybe they didnt want to dig too deep into that and expose the fact that Rush doesnt even have close to 20 million listeners each week. Let me say this loud and clear: WE WANT THE WHOLE WORLD TO LISTEN TO RUSH LIMBAUGH'S COMEDY SHOW. PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR THIS FOR THEMSELVES AND GET A GOOD LAUGH TO TAKE THEIR MINDS OFF THINGS. COME 2010, WE WANT LIMBAUGH FRONT AND CENTER, BABY.
People are always attracted to watching a train wreck.
Isn't this what everyone already knew? The crazies all rally for their man. In order for that to happen they all need to start listening to his show to find out how Obama has been attacking Limbaugh.
But really, how is this even a bad thing for Obama. All that's happened is that the folks who are always voting for Republicans are now listening to Limbaugh more often. Was Obama ever going to get their votes anyways???
His ratings spike is merely people finding out who this lunatic is that everyone dislikes so much. Aka "This guy can't be for real" traffic.
Also, Limbaugh is far beyond any kind of help at this point.
Well of course. If Limbaugh is the only one to speak out against Obama's taxing socialism, then he will become very popular and the liberals attacks arent helping their cause.
All Democrats have on their side are untested theories and excitable minions. They think that attacking someone like Rush Limbaugh or Foxnews will kill their support but the exact opposite has happened for both media outlets. Saul Alinsky-style activism is petty thuggery, not a viable mode of operations.
That's all rush the mouth wants, more listeners so he can make more money. He could care less for any views he says he caters to the low down so he can make the advertisers pay more for his show. And people are silly not to know that.
A conservative media watchdog group says recent Democratic attacks on Rush Limbaugh may have given a big boost to the talk radio host's ratings.
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Does anyone believe a "conservative media watchdog group"?
If a liberal watchdog group said the same about a democrat I would also call bullS.
Always consider the source.
Exactly what Limbaugh wanted. Priceless! Lets just hope Obama learns from this and deosn't let world leaders manipulate him this way.
I never cared for Rush but I like him now!!!!
Big Whoop! Which idiot will be the biggest "Boy who cried wolf"? Will it be Rush, Glenn Beck or Bill O'really? And how many of the stupid villagers will continue to believe the wolf is afoot? This doesn't ever bode well for intelligence in America...
Limbaugh's accuracy rate 99% Obama's ????????? Not close
Higher ratings mean more people will be exposed to his hate mongering.
This is perfect. The more people who listen to Rush, the greater the number of republicans who think he is the leader of the party. That keeps the republicans as the party of Wackjobs and No and out of the mainstream. That just ensures that the Democrats can keep running the country and get it back to the peace and prosperity that prevailed before the Boob took over.
I don't believe that's true at all. They ( the conservatives) just wish that was the case.
We need someone like Rush!! Obama is a failure!
Limbaugh is helping Obama too, because he is making the other leaders in the Republican Party irrelevant. He is the only Republican leader who commands attention right now, because, let's face it, he is the only one they have left who can even articulate a message.
That's funny, even though I am a republican, I had never listen to or followed what Limbaugh had to say. I look at him as an entertainer, just like Howard Stern Bill Mayer. However, the dems attack on him made me curious. Thanks democrats for turning me on to this entertaining man and remember it's better to have a clown on the radio rather that in the White House.
Excellent journalism again. You use Media Research Centre as your source. Wonderful.
Of course, Mr Bozell will say this is a backfire but we shall see how the public actually react to the bile that Limbaugh spews forth each day. Many decent Republicans are disgusted that this man has become the face of their party. He is a clown. A monkey that the left make dance at their pleasure to discredit the valid arguments that come from the conservative movement.
So perhaps some free publicity has made people tune into the Rush sideshow for a while. Whether or not his 'ideas' will take root is another question entirely.
That's great. Once reasonable thinking people hear what Rush says they will realize what a mess the GOP has on their hands.
I admit that I listen to him at times for the sheer entertainment of what he is spewing. Please remember he is an entertainer and the far far far right wingers are the only people to believe what he saying. Most others are amused that the GOP has allowed him to be the voice of the Republican party.
I am sure after these same reasonable thinking people listen to him his ratings will go back down. There is only so much of his hate talk and fear mongering a normal person can handle.
Who cares about this guy. He does nothing for the general public.