Rush Limbaugh selection in children’s book competition causes a stir
(CNN) - Rush Limbaugh - radio host, conservative firebrand and... children's book author of the year?
The Children’s Book Council and its Every Child a Reader program released on Thursday their author-of-the-year finalists for their annual Children’s and Teen Choice Book Awards.
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Limbaugh is one of the four finalists, and his nomination has prompted outrage on social media, given the host’s often-incendiary nature.
Limbaugh's book is titled, "Rush Revere and The Brave Pilgrims: Time-Travel Adventures with Exceptional Americans" – a time-traveling tale of colonial America and the latest of two books in the "Rush Revere Series" published last year by Simon & Schuster.
Limbaugh, an outspoken figure in the political world, often expresses controversial sentiments on his radio program. Recently, Limbaugh blasted Pope Francis' economic views as "pure Marxism," and, in 2012, he called Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke a "slut" and "prostitute" for her support of women's access to birth control.
The Children’s Book Council issued a public letter, posted to its website and Facebook page, defending its finalist selection process following the uproar online and insisting that the author of the year finalists "are determined solely based on titles’ performances on the bestseller lists."
"Some of you have voiced concerns over the selection of finalists from bestseller lists, which you feel are potentially-manipulable indications of the success of a title. We can take this into consideration going forward, but cannot change our procedure for selecting finalists after the fact," the organization said in the letter.
The CBC letter goes on to say the kids, who will start voting next week, ultimately decide which author wins in each of the six categories, including best author. The letter goes on to assure that the organization has a procedure in place to protect against fraud and adult's voting in the contest.
"This program has never been about CBC or ECAR endorsing finalists," the letter says.
Limbaugh touted the apparent success of his book series on his radio program on Thursday.
"We just found out last night that on the New York Times Best-Seller List of March the 30th, ‘Rush Revere and the First Patriots’ will open at number one, and ‘Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims’ moves up to number four," said, according to a transcript of the audio.
Limbaugh’s book landed at the number-5 spot on the New York Times best seller’s list for the week of March 23.
CNN's Dana Davidsen contributed to this report.
Children vote for the books THEY like best but some adults want to control their choices by practicing censorship and for what reason? The adults don't agree with the author's political ideology. Their call for censorship has nothing to do with the content of the book. What's more shocking is the Children's Book Council annoucement that they may consider such censorship going forward. Really? Then it stands to reason that if one is singled out that all children's book authors should be screened for their political ideology. Of course, whether or not that ideology is kosher depends on the screener's political bent. Surely this country would not allow the singling out of politically conservative minded people for different treatment would it? There is no way that could happen here, right? Deja vu!
as usual one side will scream about how bad Limbaugh is and another will tell them how bad they are.
as the article states, the kids will decide.
the so called adults need to sit down and shut up and let them do their thing. this is harmless and might be educational too.
His books are excellent. This of course makes the liberal loons furious.
So the least popular news network on Earth can't understand why the man who stands against everything they believe in is so popular?
I'm sorry but that's hilarious.
It is wonderful how CNN has to allude to Ms Fluke and the Pope. If a leftist with a checkered past were in the running they were have avoided any characterization completely.
Why not? The biggest self-proclaimed patriots in the country such as he and Hannity are the ones who have never served it.
"Limbaugh touted the apparent success of his book series on his radio program on Thursday."
The "apparent" success? So actual cold hard facts are only "apparent" to you leftists? If only CNN had the "apparent" success Limbaugh has they might have the "apparent" money he has.
Love how the hate of the left shows through when they don't even listen to him to even find out what he says. They don't look at these books or read one word of them and say he is "distorting history." Before judging someone, learn more about them. Before judging a book, you might want to read it.
Rush is neither left nor right, his position and those of his books is the unstoppable search for the truth. All the vaunted graduates of our leftist educational system can say is hate filled dribble pumped into their brains over years of indoctrination. Since everything is relative, the outrage of the left makes you feel good, but is not the truth. Rush isn't perfect, but if you have nothing accurate to say, at least admit he knows more than you do about history.
Up roar all you want, we all know progressives control media content and message, and people. so what else would you expect of them. They are boring and predictable. They cannot tolerate anyone but them and theirs becoming prominent and affecting the minds of our children, the parents who buy the book make him prominent. Progressive-ism sucks. and is killing our country.
Yes, it is a stir the whole village of left, stupid liberal or any of whom don't like the truth or part of the truth. The truth make people pain. However, the truth free people in every aspect of life.
Leave the politics out of it. If he deserves it, then so be it. Stop the whining...........
Well he at least can tell all his loyal listeners what a good person he is. Just think about what our founding fathers would think about his politics.
The real reason the left is outraged is because these books contradict the socialist re-write of American history. The left has spent decades attempting to erase our founding principles, and these books reveal true facts. Leftists cannot handle truth.
Love how the hate of the left shows through when they don't even listen to him to even find out what he says. They don't look at these books or read one word of them and say he is "distorting history." Before judging someone, learn more about them. Before judging a book, you might want to read it.
TM, while I find his personal views obnoxious, he has the same right as you or me to write books. Judge not rule would be good for you to review.
My child will not read his book i do not care how good the book is racist have no place in my heart.
If you don't like Rush don't buy his book...Simple
Maybe Obama can pass a special "Executive Action' preventing Conservatives from writing books and children from reading them ? Maybe just pile them up and burn them which worked so well once before.
Projection thy name is liberal. The only HATE I see is spewing forth from all the liberal hate mongers who have never even listened to Rush but were told what to think so they take to the comments section in full stride to display their utter intolerance and hatred. And I am loving it! Go Rush!
Has anyone who posted a comment knockin Rush actually read the books? Or just taking group think marching orders from the left, again?
Even though Rush's books are directed toward children, I enjoyed reading them and I'm 76 years old. It's our history, and every American should be proud of it.
Rush! Incendiary! and Christ Matthews and Bill Mahr are what fluffy Bunnies?
I hear more incendiary speech come out of these two CNN Nightmares hosts than I have ever come out of the Mouth of Rush Limbaugh.
I bought both books for my daughter because she wasn't getting enough out of American History. Before I bought them I read a chapter and if you went to school during the 60's. 70's and early 80's American history was not only the most boring but you came away with little knowledge of what actually happened and it is no wonder that many of the history Books are now being rewritten to reflect a different intolerant totalitarian America, no one knows the truth of American History and can't fact check it.
I found the books a great read, funny and the historical events stick in your mind. This is what is needed to help educate our kids today not the watered down Agenda filled curriculum of the Common Core.
Such tolerance oh yeah I forgot you all are liberals, never mind!!!! They are great books with the facts….do some homework! Geesh
Of course liberal media and liberals who despise Limbaugh are apoplectic over his books being in the final 4. Go Rush!