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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Successful and outspoken conservative public figures have always been a thorn in the side of frustrated leftists, so it's only natural to hear such disingenuous outrage over this. Many leftist mouthpieces have penned vile slanderous diatribes against their counterparts, most of which goes without controversy and we're all suppose to accept THAT. But with this new leftist-manufactured "controversy", we're supposed to be mad at G-Rated childrens' books, apparently well-thought-out books at that? Oh, ok. And cue some yawns for later.
So pointing out truths is now controversial? It's only controversial to CNN
Naturally, the social media is mad about his selection. They are afraid children might actually learn some American history. That would go against everything for which the Liberals stand. Keep the children dumb and brain-washed by our school system.
What is the matter, CNN, and leftist, socialist, mind engineers? Afraid that children might be taught the truth about American history other than the socialist propaganda coming from our public schools? Maybe CNN should read the books and actually learn the truth about our country. Enjoy your descend into the TV ratings as you all hit rock bottom. Can you guess why this is happening? Yes, it is because of your liberal agenda that nobody wants to see or hear..
Raise your hand if you think a Grammy, and Emmy, a Golden Globe, or an Oscar should be denied to a performer, an actress, or actor because of his or her outrageously left-wing political pronouncements? If I am not mistaken, the long-standing position is that "art stands apart from the artist" and "art must be judged on its own merits."
Well deserved honor for Rush. Kids should read it. Love the freak out over it even more.
Way to get a few uncontested digs in at Rush. Both the papal comment and the one directed at Ms Fluke were out of context, and he was Right! Maybe if CNN stuck to giving unbiased news their ratings wouldn't be in the tank.
I like Rush because you don't.
The only one who effortlessly make liberals' heads explode more than does Sara Palin is Rush Limbaugh.. As he says; I live rent free in their heads.
Why don't you intolerant socialist leftist Nazis have a good old fashion book burning of Limbaugh's books? You're doing everything you can to silence his – and pretty much everyone else's opinion you disagree with – 1st amendments right of free speech. Book burning is your logical next step, isn't it? Or how about rounding all of us up who've purchased and read his stuff and listen to his show and send us off to "re-education camps"? C'mon, admit it, you'd do it if you could! Don't worry, the way things are going, it doesn't look to me that this country is very far away from that kind of scenario.
Just another attempt by the Administration and their political party to silence American citizens and destroy American history and culture.
No bias here. Notice there's no mention of the content of the books, its all about the author. I haven't read the books, but a coworker told me they're a wonderful way to get kids interested in history. Why isn't that mentioned?
What is the matter, CNN? Are you afraid that the children of America might actually learn the Truth about America, instead of getting leftist propaganda from our downtrodden, public school system? Maybe, you all at CNN should read these books by Limbaugh so you can unravel your socialist minds. It is sad that many of our young people do not know the horrors of communism and actually believe that Russia was justified in attacking the Ukraine because they had to protect themselves from the big bad Ukrainians. Spare me!
Enjoy your ride to the bottom of the TV ratings as sane Americans are sick and tired of the Obama driven propaganda coming from your news rooms.
Instead of getting upset just because it is Rush why not read the books and find out why so many people have bought them for the children! They are factually accurate and entertaining for kids and if you politically driven hate mongers can't stand that....TO DAMN BAD!!
This is so refreshing. I am thrilled that Rush hit the Socialists right where it hurts, in the children.
All you commies out there should know that Rush is not the only one working to undo the damage you have inflicted on America's children over the past several decades. As the darkness of your evil grows we grow stronger as realization finally dawns on the 48%.
I'm sure everyone is fine if some absurd liberal green nut writes a book about Buffy and her solar panel adventure, but conservatives must be persona non grata. Give me a break, it's a free country, and millions upon millions of people are conservative. We deserve a voice too, people, stop trying to censor us just because you disagree with us!
He did not criticize Fluke for her support for access to birth control. He criticized her for support of taxpayer funded birth control. Get your story straight. Obvious writer is a liberal.
Haters gotta hate. Don't worry, haters, they'll figure out a way to snub Rush.
Incendiary? Truth is incendiary?
The Left are very tolerant of their intolerance of other viewpoints...
Protesting a children's book?!? Looks like those "tolerant" liberals are at it again.
Liberals havent a clue who RL really. is. Just as they do with all those who threaten the supremacy of their ideology they lie and totally distort the facts. It's not until one really listens to him that this becomes apparent.
and cnn is still looking for the plane in a black hole or in the twlight zone ? funny a lib author can write about tearing down america and not a word but let a consertive write a decent book and he gets slammed for his political views slight left wing bias??
If Saul Alinsky got a a children's book award there would be nary a peep.
Another hysterical Liberal hissy-fit, all because Rush gets mentioned as a contender – that's typical left-wing hypocrisy and bigotry for you...!