Liberal group takes on Rush

Posted: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 10:22 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Democrats

From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
A liberal group is launching an ad campaign against Rush Limbaugh’s “phony soldier” comment, but will Democratic presidential candidates (not just John Kerry) pile on?

VoteVets.org, a group of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, launched an ad today featuring a soldier, who was awarded the Purple Heart for sustaining injuries to his head, saying: “Rush Limbaugh called vets like me ‘phony soldiers’ for telling the truth about Iraq. Rush, the shrapnel I took to my head was real. My traumatic brain injury was real. And, my belief that we are on the wrong course in Iraq is real. Until you have the guts to call me a "phony soldier" to my face, stop telling lies about my service."

The $60,000 ad buy will air nationally Wednesday and Thursday on FOX News and CNN, and a radio version of the ad will air during the Rush Limbaugh Show in DC and in Palm Beach, Fla., where Limbaugh lives.

*** UPDATE *** Dodd Communications Director Hari Sevugan points out Dodd's statement from last week: "It's ironic, if not remotely surprising, that Rush Limbaugh -- who makes his living shooting his mouth off -- would impugn the patriotism and service of American troops simply because they have voiced their opposition to this failed policy. It's clear that he has no idea what the brave men and women of our armed forces are ostensibly fighting for."

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Comments

Not mention that if you agree with denouncing the moveon.org adds then you should be denouncing all the Neo-Con idiots’ rhetoric (Rush, Coulter, O'Reilly....), because they are all appalling. If you cannot stand up and condemn them then you have no business condemning the return punches.

jchri66 (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:16 PM)

Ha Ha, big baby republican. OH poor bloated effeminate Rush. Poor baby is being picked on by those mean, mean democrats. What a joke! I hope he gets knocked right off the air.... then he'll have plenty of time to get high and pop pills all day.

AOWaytogoOhio (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:17 PM)

Rush Limbaugh is a hypocrite and a loud-mouth. He's definetly not qualified to call anyone else a phony, decide who is ``patriotic'', or give out weigh in with assessments of others' peoples' values.

DI, PA (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:18 PM)

Where was the outcry from you when people from the Repuk party called people like me who do not and still do not agree with this idiotic adminmistration on the policy of Iraq "Unpatriotic"?

Terry, Disabled Vet, Des Moines, IA (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:18 PM)

The liberals taking things out of context? Since when has Rush ever been upfront with the truth? Everything thing he says has been distorted, twisted or taken out of context.

Al Skalicky, Bolivar, MO (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:18 PM)

These people are idiots. Listen to the broadcast. Liberal retards.

Jack Johnson (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:18 PM)

Another falsehood being pushed by MSNBC. I'm starting to wonder if George Soros secretly owns MSNBC and writes for HardBall and Countdown. Where are the truth police on this one? Oh, I forgot, they care controlled by the Left.

NotALemming (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:18 PM)

SEEMS LIKE THE CONCERVATIVES CAN DISH IT OUT, BUT THEY CAN'T TAKE IT.

BONNIE (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:18 PM)

Who the hell elected these silly assed congressmen
the Liberals haven't done a lick of work since they
came in. If you want cry babies to run this country
I'll come to Washington just to see your butts hanging
from the cherry trees when the Arabs take over.
GET A LIFE (somewhere else please)

Wm.Kramer Pittsburgh Pa (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:19 PM)

We're for freedom of speech the same way you guys are, jerk--remember the Swift Boat Veterans? You guys showed us what it takes to win in this country--just yell loud enough. Doesn't matter how much sense it makes. Reap what you've been sowing for years now, with your constant allegations of your enemies being traitors, gay, whatever--does it taste good when YOU'RE not the ones dishing it out?

Chris Robbins, Alexandria, VA (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:19 PM)

Looks like all the right wing loonies have come out to defend this idiotic gas bag. Where was there outrage about how the Bush Administration treated the brave vets who returned to a rat infested Walter Reed hospital. It just shows who really cares about our soldiers. Where was Rush when it was his turn to serve?

Alan Peterson, Lansdale, PA (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:19 PM)

I love it, finally these right-wing nutjobs get a taste of their own medicine. At least the ad isnt nearly fallacious as the ad run by Ari Fleischer's group with a soldier saying 'they attacked us' with images of the planes flying into the twin towers. Give me a break.

Rachelle Lexington, KY (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:20 PM)

Rush and his apologists claim he is being taken out of context, that is what his entire show is based on. I've always thought that Rush's often-repeated statement that it's impossible to be for the troops while being against the war was nonsense. How does Rush explain the active duty soldiers who wrote the Op-Ed piece basically saying they were against the war, but were still there to do their duty.

Jim B (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:21 PM)

I guess the left leaning news media thinks no one has a brain. What an obvious hatchet job.

JL Foley, AL (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:21 PM)

When you get "Conservatives" this fired up, you are obviously telling the truth. They can bring Hillary, Soros, MoveOn and anyone else to the post, it changes nothing. They follow an angry windbag and never hear any of the insults he hurls but they sure are touchy when one comes back at them. Just like the Bush Administration. The truth hurts and the truth can't always be redacted.

Sandi Saunders, Hardy, Virginia (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:21 PM)

My goodness! The dems are sinking to new lows. Easy to tell that they are running scared.What are they trying to take attention away from this time. After this is done being researched and the truth comes out that this was a sentence taken out of context, I think their approval rating will be minus soon! Two questions: Where was Reid when the "Betray Us" ad came out? He didn't say anything, so he must have approved of it, right? Secondly: Don't they have anything better to discuss?

Kate Payne, Wausau, WI (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:21 PM)

Well when this next election is finished and we might have the problem of yet another liberal in office, will it be on their agenda to have another free trade agreement to further serve our working population called the Liberal American Free Trade Agreement or better called LAFTA? As they (the liberals) wheel their illgotten financial gains to their Swiss accounts, Oh I'm sorry, those were campaign contributions.

Charles Gates, Saline, MI (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:22 PM)

Liberals got women the right to vote. Liberals got African-Americans the right to vote. Liberals created Social Security and lifted millions of elderly people out of poverty. Liberals ended segregation. Liberals passed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act. Liberals created Medicare. Liberals passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act. What did conservatives do? They opposed them on every one of those things every one.

G.Koss E.Wndsr. CT (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:22 PM)

First - Rush L is bigoted conservative weasel. Period
Anyone who can and does defend Bush / Cheney / Rice and evangelical conservatives is a MORON. Why is it only republicans who hate everyone but themselves always have an excuse for each other. I'll tell you why because it takes sveral IQ's higher than 20 to put together the excuse.It's going to be great fun wtaching Republicans squirm for the next 16 -24 yeard after the mess Bush and Co with the support of people like RL have made and will leave to the intelligent leiberals to clean up for them!

Robert J (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:22 PM)

Once again the moronic American political arena has failed this country again. There use to be a time when Republicans and Democrats could agree to disagree and begin using their BRAINS to create respectable compromises. It appears that the current administration as well as Congress would rather create political character assassins than seek the truth. Considering the American people elected a puppet, not once but twice, tells me we have a country full of puppets, easily manipulated with the pull of a very few strings.

JJKKY, Louisville, Ky (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:22 PM)

I agree with the "overreaching" comments above. Though I dislike Limbaugh, I think this is a political mistake to pursue these allegations. This is going to backfire on MM and many Democrats in congress which is sad. Who is making these political decisions on our side?

John Maburn (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:23 PM)

Rush said twice that he was talking about one particular soldier, (who really was a fake but of course the media never reported it) but those kind of facts never stop Liberals since they are never held up to the truth by their friends "The Drive By Media".

Bo Houston, TX (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:23 PM)

Reid and his buddies are obviously appealing to those that just fell off the lettuce truck and whose minds are a tabla rasa. These 2 bit bottom fish politicians are using tax paper time and money for campaigning.

Mike Sugar Land, TX (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:24 PM)

Brian from College Station: How do you figure MoveOn got burned? Their donations increased greatly from all the free publicity the MSM afforded them about the "controversial" ad. Petraus is a shill. Shrubya has fired a whole string of generals who wouldn't tell him what he wanted to hear, this one brown-noses just as he is told, where's the crime in pointing that out, or pointing out the raging hipocrysy of the right? Where was your outrage when the swift-boat veterans were lying about Kerry? Where was it when your guys were trashing Max Cleland? I'll say it again, you people are consumed with sour grapes because the left is finally using the right's tried and true smear tactics, and is raising more money than the right to do it. Get used to it, you're going down in '08.

Doug, San Diego (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:24 PM)

Wow. I had no idea the readership of msnbc was so right-wing. Like really knee-jerk too, it's incredible. Or maybe it's another Soros/MoveOn.org/Clintons/Black Helicopters conspiracy to make us _think_ that msnbc readers are morons. Hehe.

John Doe, Seattle, Wash. (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:24 PM)

Rush is one of those "CHICKENHAWKS" who were too scared, rich, or well-connected to serve when they had the opportunity. They always want someone else to do the fighting.

R Brooks, Houston,Tx (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:24 PM)

Rufus G has a brother, but he'll go to his grave dening it.

LM Tongas (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:24 PM)

Limbaugh is a coward who cannot take responsibilty for his words. Sort of like most of the looney right - just kids playing army. No wonder they are too weak and stupid to win wars.

Matthew Pry (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:25 PM)

Limbaugh is a coward who cannot take responsibilty for his words. Sort of like most of the looney right - just kids playing army. No wonder they are too weak and stupid to win wars.

Matthew Pry (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:25 PM)

Limbaugh is a coward who cannot take responsibilty for his words. Sort of like most of the looney right - just kids playing army. No wonder they are too weak and stupid to win wars.

Matthew Pry (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:25 PM)

It cracks me up to no end... The left-ist side of politics... the "Free-thinkers" are the ones who toss political mud the fastest against anyone whom they don't agree with. FOX is one, just one, semi-conservative news outlet. How many liberal news outlets are there? There are thousands, but liberals everywhere can't stand the fact that someone might actually learn something and form their own opinion about an issue... heaven forbid that someone think for themselves and make an educated assessment of an issue? Open minded? Only as long as you think like they do! If you have a different opinion... they will try and tell you why you are wrong... they are the same as that which they speak against... so that makes them Hypocrites. Hi hypocrites! <wave at the liberals>

Bob B, Tacoma, wa (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:25 PM)

George Soros owns Clinton and Congress. Is this what the fiairness doctirne would look like. All liberal trash presented as facts and anything else censored as bias.

Bo Houston, TX (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:25 PM)

Glad all you folks are defending a hypocritical junky whose only claim to fame is his ability to make a certain element of America feel good about being closed minded, intolerant and racist. Are his cruel, vile and often false statements justified because a "liberal" group calls attention to him?

Felix, Houston Texas (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:26 PM)

Shame on Rush, and all conservatives, who can't face the possibility that a person who has first hand knowledge of the situation in Iraq (a soldier) thinks the Administration is on the wrong track!

Marilyn, Newport News, VA (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:27 PM)

Are we kidding here? This defense of Limbaugh coming from the party that branded John Kerry, Max Cleland and (almost) John McCain as traitors when it was politically expedient for them to do so?

Rush may be stupid, but you people are flaming hypocrites. He can't help his ignorance. What's your excuse?

Not a Liberal, Just Honest, Houston, TX (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:27 PM)

When liberals spray the truth on a cockroach like Rush, you can be sure they will flush out a nest. It saddens me to know there is still so much vermin in the United States as evidenced by the reactions voiced on this site.

My prayers are with VoteVets.
Keep spraying the truth!

David Martin, Phoenix, Arizona (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:27 PM)

Why are you all rushing to defend a Viagra swilling drug addict from Florida? He's a buffoon who doesn't have a clue about how the real world works. I'm a combat vet and I think Rush sucks and his comment sucks more.

Capt Jim, Greenville, WI (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:28 PM)

MSNBC has been pushing a number of these false Media Matters stories this month. Makes me wonder if MSNBC is knowingly spreading these contrived stories in support of a political agenda.

Frank Ramsey, NJ (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:28 PM)

This whole discussion is the problem that is continues the division in the country. Why do we continue to fall into the design of the media machine on both sides. We Americans and lets find a way to solve our problems without reducing every argument to left and right or conservative and liberal. We are Americans and we all reserved the right to have our options but the destruction of media continues to takes us down the wrong path. There are both truths and lies in all what is being pushed into our lives.

Let's leave to think for yourselves... I isn't illegal yet!

Anthony, Seattle, Washington (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:28 PM)

I wonder how many of Rush's supports have actually severed... Didn't think so.

JustMe (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:29 PM)

Boy, are republicans HUGE babies or what? Can't handle the attacks now? You guys perfected them. Can dish it out but can't take it? Surprise, surprise.

bb (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:29 PM)

The truth is much more different from this story as reported (because I heard it live) and the accuracy of it reminds me of a great statement in Iraqi history - "There are no US troops at the airport.". ha ha.

jimmy smith, Tyler, TEXAS (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:30 PM)

No it was not taken out of context if you bothered to listen to the whole transcipt. Thank God these vets are finally being heard. They represent the opinion of the vast majority of this country. The ONLY people supporting this war and not condemning the president for what he has done to this country, the constitution, and fundmentally trying to change what the United States is all about are the rednecks and uneducated. Liberals are a force of good in the world while the conservatives in this administration are a dark, negative, force. We want the United States back.

Norm (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:30 PM)

Rush Limbaugh a STUPID professional babbler. A pill-popping one at that. To be so righteous when so uninformed is pathetic. Ann Coulter is a SMART professional babbler. Both of them distort and twist the truth and make million$ while claiming to be Christian and "patriotic". Have either of them ever heard the phrase, "turn the other cheek"? or how about, "Thou Shalt Not Kill"? Revenge-seeking people on the right and the left don't help bring about peace in this world. Compassion, a willingness to understand the root causes of problems and empathy beyond greed for scare oil would be a good start for both sides.
Sanity appears to be the rarest resource we have on this planet at the moment...

Coral Cadman, Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:30 PM)

Are they going to air an ad speaking out against ABC News who ran a story two days prior about "phony soldiers?"

John Kendrow (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:30 PM)

What a joke, to think that Liberals have to initiate a smear campaign against the Republican party, they,(Republicans) have already done that to themselves. Their hypocratic moral representation, is something any true christian should be offended by, unless they are brain dead. We have become a country with no leadership, and our own worst own enemy

Don Gahagan, Golden, Mo. (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:31 PM)

I am definitely for freedom of speech. Not freedom of lies.

Kathlyn, Trumann, Arkansas (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:31 PM)

Republicans (including some posting here) criticizing this action but defending or accepting SwiftBoat Vets for Truth are hypocrites plain and simple. The same goes for support of a congressional vote on a NY times ad. I'm not saying it's right but instead of an attempt to reinforce your biased beliefs against the "left", atleast acknowledge that words can cut both ways whether you are liberal or conservative. After saying that Rush stuck his foot in his mouth..as he always does. This time someone is actually using his words as propaganda....again. To be honest his "phoney soldiers" comment was ambiguous enough that it reasonably could have been interpreted as a slight against anti-war military/ex-military. The Democratic congress should basically butt out, but VoteVets definitely has that leeway.

CJ (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:32 PM)

Wow that is really sad! Rush was talking to a caller about Jesse Macbeth and the left is about to crap themselves now .. Which, by the way, where are any of the stories from the media on Macbeth going to jail for lying about his service record??? hmmm they can report him a hero but they can't report him a fraud

bryanPA (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:33 PM)

Swift Boaters: good; Move-On: bad. Iraq veterans telling the truth: bad. Rush saying anything at all, no matter how idotic: good. Overly enthusiastic flag wavers: good. Citizens questioning this administration: bad. Iraq veterans telling the truth: bad. Generals and worst president ever telling lies: good. Try to grow a brain. Can't you illiterate bloggers who never learned how to spell or use an apostrophe at least keep quiet.

Jane, Roswell, GA (Sent Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:33 PM)

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