Reid's letter is a hot item on eBay.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - It may turn out to be the most valuable letter Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid ever sent.
The Nevada Democrat's correspondence-in-question was sent earlier this month to Clear Channel CEO Mark Mays, officially calling on him to condemn popular conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh's controversial 'phony soldiers' remark. Clear Channel syndicates Limbaugh's show.
Mays refused to condemn the remarks and Limbaugh recently placed Reid's letter on eBay, pledging to match whatever it fetched and donate it all to The Marine Corps – Law Enforcement Foundation.
As of Tuesday morning, the top bid for the letter was over $50,000. The bidding ends Friday.
"I'm going to match the dollar figure, and I have suggested that Sen. Reid and the 40 other Democrats who signed the smear letter … also match the donation," Limbaugh said on his show Monday.
Limbaugh's original remark came on a September 26 program as he and a caller were discussing critics of the Iraq war.
"What's really funny is, they [Iraq war critics] never talk to real soldiers," the caller said. "They like to pull these soldiers that come up out of the blue and talk to the media."
Limbaugh responded, "The phony soldiers."
After the liberal media watchdog group MediaMatters.org and several Democrats quickly condemned the remark, Limbaugh said he was "taken out of context," and added he was referring to one soldier specifically - Jesse MacBeth, a war critic who falsely claimed to be an Iraq veteran.
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What I find most interesting is how this fat drug abuser can dish it out, but whines and cries like a little baby when anyone calls him out.
He is a total fraud.
I applaud Rush for posting the letter and for challenging the democrats to back up their words with the money in their pockets! The old saying, "put your money where your mouth is..." The fact that he is willing to match the highest bid and donate it to the Marines shows his support and where his loyalties are.
Fifty thousand dollars!! That's almost a whole month's worth of Oxycontin!
A day before this incident,Rush limbaugh had a segment on phony soldiers like Jesse MacBeth and it was one whole segment. So, it was a natural continuation for using the word phony soldiers.
By the way, few minutes back, I heard the spokesperson for The Marine Corps -Law Enforcement Foundation and he thanked Rush for millions of dollars he has dontated. so, this is not the first time, he has contributed to the foundation.
More and more of this news is played, democrats are getting into defensive mode. Not a good strategy
Some of the Limbaugh supporters must be dipping into his oxycotin supply.
phony. Limbaugh is too stupid to realise many soldiers are against this war.
Limbaugh is the one who offended the soldiers not the Dems so it is Limbaugh and Clear Channel who need to make restitution to the soliders.
That quote wasn't taken out of context. Maybe in Limbaugh's flawed mind he meant Jesse MacBeth, but I heard the exchange and I never heard MacBeth's name mentioned once. Besides, if he was talking about one person he wouldn't have used "phony soldiers" in the plural sense.
Politics is opportunism at its worst. This is just another example.
Shame on Rush for saying what he said. Shame on everyone else for giving him the opportunity to turn it around into self-promotion.
Don't these idiot Democrats have anything better to do than write letters about radio hosts or condemn Turkey about something that happened 100 years ago? I think we need to scrap Congress and just start over.
I'm glad that this wasn't a self-serving political stunt.
I think it's fair to say that whether or not these legislators match Rush's donation or not is not a personal reflection on them; neither should it be. When is the last time you donated money to something because somebody dared you to? This is more of a typically tasteless Rush Limbaugh maneuver, designed to redirect attention from himself. If it wasn't, we wouldn't be reading about it on CNN. He would have quietly donated the money without grandstanding about it. If any of these men and women choose to match, you can rest assured their focus is on the troops. Those who don't are merely refusing to regress to the third grade and fight Fatty Limbaugh on the schoolyard.
Limbaugh is a uneducated, unqualified merchant of Republican deception. He is currently a saddle without a horse as are many others who have seen their vaulted party be taken to ruin by the person they so strongly supported.
It's the "art of the misdirection" or what to do when you don't plan on delivering what you promised. The “new” US Congress stormed into the nation’s capital on promises to the American public to focus on their priorities. Unfortunately, the “their” the new Democratic Congress was referring to was in fact themselves – not the US public or even the nation’s broader interests.
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Bad reporting job at the end - letting Limbaugh's claim that he was taken out of context stand without a rebuttal, when clearly he was not referring to that one "soldier." It's lazy reporting one might expect from Fox News – "fair and balanced" meaning both sides get reported equally even when one's clearly wrong, with no mention that one side IS clearly wrong.
What the hell does that have to do with Rush Limbaugh, TP? And what language was that written in?
Nevermind the Democrats leading a bi-partisan majority recently submitted a bill to ensure health insurance for lower and middle class children in this country, but captain veto stepped in the way.
Truly... it is sad to think that people hate Rush so much that they are willing to:
call him horrible names,
make fun of his weight,
make light of an addiction
he as overcome, and
probably the worst of all is
say he has no right to
voice his political opinions
or even worse that he should
be removed from the airwaves.
If all of you are the democrats that want to take office soon... please dont sign me up. You guys accuse others of facisim... wow. I guess we need a law to quiet rush for the good of the village. You people make me sick.
The libs know they are lying about Limbaugh it is just that a liberal democrat feels no obligation to be honest like most on the right do.
This morning it was reported that Lib talk show host Randi Rhodes was mugged. All over the net, conservative after conservative was saying that even though they disagree with her that they wish her the best and hope she is alright. Reading these comments here, do you think libs would feel the same way if it were Rush? Obviously not, they would be hoping that he would die.
For those who are asking, that is the difference between the left and the right.
I heard that to Doug, and even if her stances on anything are so far out of whack with mine, I do wish her well.
Rhodes, like Rush is a yakmeister who is just doing their "jobs".
I was however pissed, that Elliot of that same network hinted over the AIRWAVES that it was some crazy right-wing lunatic who did this as a hate crime ONLY, with no evidence, just simple stupid prejudice.
Right Doug!
We should be compassionate to Rush like Rush was compassionate to Michael J. Fox about his illness.
Rush doesn't care what people say about him as long as they are still talking about HIM. He is a total waste of skin and space.
>>Mr. Rush Limbaugh is the worst thing that has every happened to this country<<
Considering this country has seen slavery, families pulled apart, the eradication of an entire ethnic groups history, the trail of tears, internment camps, the assissination of countless civil rights luminaries, the great depression, Vietnam – this is an INCREDIBLY stupid statement to make.
As for the donation – Rush has donated, and more than likely will donate, far more than this auction is going for.
Disagree with the man all you want, but obfuscating facts and putting blinders on to make ones point only makes you look silly.
If it's true, well bugger! 'Phony Soldier' that's the worst thing I heard in a decade.
JoEllen, I said nothing about being compassionate toward Rush, that is your choice.
I just showed the undeniable difference between the left and the right.
The majority of those on the left wish for conservatives to die or at the very least cheer bad things that happen to conservatives and wish them and their families harm.
A majority of those on the right wish for the well being of all, even those who disagree with them.
That is why a pro-choice pro-gay marriage person like myself has to vote against liberal democrats, I can't get on board with the hate and the lies like the Limbaugh phoney soldier thing.
A conservative running for office could not talk about shooting the president between the eyes, the right would take issue no matter who was president. When Alan Hevisi said it about Bush, he knew that a majority of his blue state democratic voters would be in full agreement with him.
Sorry, comparing some talk show host to actual politicans elected by the people who hold public office won't work, just to save a lib the embarassment of trying to respond to these facts with that flawed comeback.
Don't hold your breath that Reid, Pelosi, Clinton, etc. will match Rush's contribution. The military knows who their supporters are and their supporters are NOT the Democrats in this country. This is proved every day and every way.
The lie about this whole situation proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that liberals and Democrats are not concerned with the truth. They're concerned with power and they will stop at nothing to get it.
Way to go, RUSH! Keep kicking them in the rear!!!
Rush got the idea to post this on eBay while browsing for oxycontin deals.
I listened to rush for the first time the other day. He gets so MAD! He should lay off the crack.