Chicago Sun-Times Writer Richard Roeper Rips Rush

[DailyGrind51]

" We wish Rush well, but he's still full of it
Says his hospital stay proves health care system is just fine
Comments

January 4, 2010

BY RICHARD ROEPER Sun-Times Columnist

After Rush Limbaugh was hospitalized last week with chest pains, TMZ.com ran a poll asking for a "yes" or "no" to the sentiment, "Get well soon."

Now then. When Limbaugh previously experienced health problems, I expressed sincere good wishes for his recovery, even though I find many of his comments to be divisive and odious.
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Richard Roeper



That's the point of being a semi-decent human being, right? Christianity 101 and all that. You don't have to be a spiritual giant to be able to restrain from wishing ill health on a fellow human.

Am I going to lose sleep if a terrorist blows himself up and doesn't hurt anyone else? No. Am I going to weep for some serial killer on Death Row? Not a chance. But do I wish for political opposites to actually experience pain and suffering?

Uh, no.

If you're a true liberal, you can't say you're all about the tolerance and the understanding and the forgiveness -- and then say, "But I wish that Rush Limbaugh would drop dead!" It doesn't jibe.

So wouldn't it be lovely to report that as a new year was dawning, the citizens of the world were feeling much compassion as they unanimously wished nothing but a speedy recovery to Rush Limbaugh?

Fat chance.
Survey says ...

As of Sunday afternoon, 332,478 votes had been registered on TMZ's "Get well soon" question about Rush. The tally:

No: 54 percent

Yes: 46 percent

OK, we all know the Internet offers safe haven to millions of anonymous haters who fill up comments sections with vile remarks. You don't need a degree in psychology to realize many of their remarks say much more about themselves than the subject at hand. If you're spending time lurking in the murky waters beneath blogs and news stories, hiding behind a pseudonym while repeating rumors, engaging in insults and spewing negativity, what you're really saying is: "My life is small, I'm bitter, I'm jealous, things haven't worked out for me, I resent the world, I'm filled with rage."

Clicking on a poll is even easier. Do I want that SOB Rush Limbaugh to get well soon? Hell no!

I've made the Cynics' All-Star team nearly every year of my life, but still, I find that to be just ... sad.
Mahalo Hawaii!

So Limbaugh seems to be doing just fine. Good for him.

Now we can get back to taking issue with his public remarks.

It's hardly a surprise El Rushbo jumped on the opportunity to laud his experience in Hawaii as proof there's nothing wrong with the American health care system.

"I received no special treatment," claimed Limbaugh.

Well. Reports indicate security did shut down a wing of his hotel, including the guest elevators, while Limbaugh was transported downstairs via the employee elevators. At the medical center, the wing holding Limbaugh's room was placed on restricted access status. These moves were made to ensure Limbaugh's privacy. Kinda like a Clooney or a Kennedy or some other liberal celebrity would be treated.

That's not a huge surprise. Rush Limbaugh is a card-carrying, hundred-millionaire member of the mainstream celebrity elite, and he lives his life accordingly.

Which probably contributed to this whopper of a statement:

"Based on what happened to me here, I don't think there's one thing wrong with the American health care system. It is working just fine, just dandy."

That makes about as much sense as Rush checking his bank account and saying, "Based on my balance statement, I don't think there's one thing wrong with the American economic system. It is working just fine, just dandy."

Yes. For YOU.

Like Limbaugh, I'm blessed with solid health care. But I know far too many people who have no insurance. And last year alone, I attended at least a half dozen fund-raisers for families facing astronomical medical bills. Is Limbaugh really so out of touch he believes everything with the health care system is "fine" and "dandy"?

Besides, the main Democratic argument isn't that American health care is inadequate. It's that too many Americans don't have access to first-rate health care.

And what if Limbaugh had required surgery? Does he still think all patients are treated equally at that stage?

Meanwhile, as experts are pointing out, Hawaii has the closest thing to the "socialist" universal health care system Limbaugh so despises. By falling ill in Hawaii and receiving that excellent treatment, Limbaugh demonstrated what matters most is access to quality health care.

Is this a great country or what?"

http://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&source=hp&q=%22we+wish+rush+well%2C+but+he%27s+still+full+of+it%22&btnG=Google+Search

[existentialist]

1. and the implicit question of interest is

Will Rush listeners pick up on the disconnect between his experience with health care and their own?

[DailyGrind51]

2. As much as a Moonie picks up on why Rev. Moon lives like a king while they are selling flowers

at the airport.

[louis-t]

3. 2 things.

He doesn't think keeping the adoring masses away from him is anything "special". It's normal to him. Second, hmm, 54% to 46%? Wow, that actually adds up to 100!