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.
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The liberals hate Rush so it doesn't matter how good the book is. They are blinded by their bias.
Ooh, boy! Good fun stirring up the pot in liberal lit world. Limbaugh's myth-busting best seller for kids blows away the cloud of leftist baloney dished out as history in our public and yes, also our private school systems. The revisionists who have turned American history lessons into phony American misery lessons have met their match in the unpalatable truth that Limbaugh and his research have greased their skids with. Oh, hear their howling. Truly a wondrous thing to witness. Generations of liars caught with their pants on fire.
The outrage is simply an expected and knee-jerk response of Progressives in response to anything that Rush Limbaugh does. He has successfully authored and published a children's book that is on the New York Times best seller list. It is popular. Let the book stand on its own merit.
I have not read the book but I whole heartily agree that it should win Children's Book of The Year.
Well, that's who he appeals to-children of all ages.
Rush Limbaugh is the only voice of truth and common sense we have in the "Obama controlled media"! His children's books tell the real truth of the birth of this country; a true account not taught in our liberal anti American schools. He deserves to win because he is reaching the next generation with the REAL story of the pilgrims. The kids LOVE his books which speaks volumes! The winner will be determined by their votes!
I love it when the left-wing press is sent into orbit when Limbaugh has another success.
Sandra Fluke was chastised by Rush bc she wanted the working families of America pay all of her costs for her Birth Control. That is not the same as limiting access. Is Disneyland free ? Should we subsidize those who want to go, but just didn't save for it ?
You twisting of the facts is part of the war on men and truth.
The Ultra-radical, extremist, Regressive Leftists who want to silence Moderate Centrists like Rush Limbaugh are the intolerant ones.
You use Rush Limbaugh's quotes out of context. Context is everything. As to his nominations causing outrage on the social media...what doesn't cause outrage on the social media somewhere on any given day. Read Rush, listen to Rush, then decide.
Rush is a great communicator and is only writing historical fiction for children. Give it a rest!
What is it about the left that they feel the need to silence everyone. I guess they are done attacking the 2nd amendment, and now it is on to the first.
Read the first one to my kids and they loved it. The second arrives in the mail tomorrow. They can't wait.
I'm sure that they will find a way to disqualify Rush on a technicality based on the so-called "online uproar".
Why not let the books stand or fall on their merits, eh?
And why did the alleged reporter feel the need to mention Sandra What'shername, eh?
It was not about denying anyone any such thing, it was about someone else paying for her $9 a month prescription at Wal-mart. Surely she can afford $9 a month, eh? One or two less lattes at Starbucks, perhaps?
What is the topic of his book, hate everyone who isn't a white male of Anglo-Saxon decent?
Outrage amongst whom on social media? Apart from the entire news staff at CNN the "outrage" over limbaughs selection is among the usual crowd of liberal malcontents whose aim of course is to destroy anyone whose opinions and loyalties are demonstrably different from theirs. That would include Paul Revere
I love how the article neglects to mention that Rush is the #1 radio host in USA. Controversial? And $3000 a year for contraceptives is the new norm, applaud it or else. Man, we are down the rabbit hole.
Got mine – thanks Rush!
Way to go Rush!!!
Getting children to read, and read something about history is no small achievement. Congratulations. Keep politics out of the children's enjoyment of reading!
Gee Dana...how do you really about Rush? Could not guess from your open minded 'reporting'. Gag.
All these people hating on Rush are people who've never listened to him. The uninformed are the most gullible.
Why doesn't anyone on the left accept that Rush is telling the truth? Does the left's version of reality make them hate Rush or simply get embarrassed at how foolish they look and take it out on Rush? And the real amazing thing is that anyone who studies history will find so much of the teaching of history today is fraud. So what did Rush do? He turned up the lights in the room and exposed liberal misrepresentation of true history as an ugly fraud. Go Rush!
Social media is upset? WAAAA WAAAAAA. How do you think the world felt when Jimmy Carter, Al Gore and Obama all bought the Noble Prize? Those awards made the Noble as cherished as used toilet tissue!
Sandra Fluke did not "support women's access to birth control," unless you consider a claim to the right to free air travel or a no-cost lease for a Mercedes "access to transportation." You need to put your agenda aside and report facts.