RUSH: For those of you new to this program, I want to try to tell you a little bit about what we do here. There’s a new tune-in factor every day. People are finding this program for however and whatever reasons and they’re tuning in, and every day, folks. Those of you who have been regular listeners here have to understand that there’s a sizable brand-new tune-in factor every day, brand-new first-time audience members. And as those of you who have listened for any length of time know, this program is a continuum. It doesn’t have topics where once something’s discussed, everything that there is to say about it has been said.

We don’t do guests. We don’t do interviews. Well, rarely, when the president calls. But outside of that, we don’t do interviews. Maybe somebody really guilt-trips me into helping them with their book. But beyond that, we don’t do that. And so as such, for those of you tuning in on the first day, you don’t have something that regular listeners have, and that’s context.

Like, I’m gonna comment today on some things that happened yesterday, last week, last month, last year, two years ago, and people that have been here for a long time will remember and be able to place the comments today in context. You may be hearing them for the first time and they’re mysterious, which is why I always say to new listeners it takes at least six weeks, minimum, daily devoted listening in order to be fully equipped and prepared to appreciate to the maximum this program, to understand it, to enjoy it, what have you.

I’m not saying you can’t do all that in one day, I mean, you will, you’ll get hooked. But I’m talking about really understanding it. So in deciding where to start with this today, and as a reminder to those of you who have been here for a long time and those of you the first day, what happens on this program? I’ll spell it out for you. If I had to describe one thing that would characterize what happens on this program it would be react, as opposed to proact.

And what I mean by that is, when I prepare this program, say last night when I’m working on this program, I don’t try to figure out what I can go after or who I can go after or what topic I think people need to hear about. I strictly react to current events. And current events compromise a lot of things. If, for example, people that I love, traditions and institutions I believe in, if they are under assault, I will come here and defend them. And oftentimes a spirited defense of somebody is misunderstood by somebody listening for the first time as an attack.

There are no attacks on this program. We don’t sit around, I don’t sit around and design in advance people or things I want to go out and hit. This is a current events program, and it is as topical as anything can be. It’s instantaneously topical. And so I judge primarily by what my interests are, what’s the thing I am most interested in is what I will generally lead off the program with and then hopefully the entire three hours is devoted to things I care about because that’s where the passion comes from. And if there’s no passion, you’re gonna get bored and not listen.

I mean, it’s impossible for me to be passionless, and I think it’s impossible for me to be boring, but I don’t assume that. I always assume that even I could be boring to some people. So it’s a constant, ongoing thing. Show prep never ends, life is show prep, and show prep is comprised not of figuring out, “Who do I want to criticize tomorrow” or “what do I want to criticize,” but it is staying informed on virtually everything I care about so that if it comes up or it needs to be commented on, I am fully equipped to do so.

For some reason I thought it was important to point this out, ’cause I know the new tune-in factor’s through the roof here, and it actually has been for quite a while, I mean, above normal. And it’s much desired by me that the new tune-in people hang around. I’m trying to jump-start the six-week process here by giving you a little heads-up. It’s impossible for you the first day to — if you haven’t heard what happened yesterday, last week, last month, some of this is gonna sound Greek to you, because I assume, A, that you’re very smart, B, that you are very informed when you arrive here, and I also assume that everybody listens to all three hours every day. Well, I do. You may think I’m bragging, but I do, and that’s how I do the program. I assume you know what I’m gonna talk about.

Now, I’m gonna tell you things you don’t know in terms of providiing information, but I assume you’re here. I assume if I say something in the third hour yesterday, I don’t have to say it again in the second hour today. I don’t do that kind of structure anyway. And sometimes I think I should, because it’s obvious people do not listen to all three hours every day. It’s not possible. But you who don’t know who you are, and so do we.

So, having said all that, I look at all of this going on today, and what I primarily look at is the reaction that other people are having and the way it’s being reported in the media. And I just continue to find things fascinating about it in a less-than-enthusiastic way. For example, we still, even after everything that we’ve learned, at the highest levels of our government, we still can’t properly talk about this, or we won’t.

We won’t characterize it for what it is. We will not learn from it. We will not properly inform other people of what it is and how this matters to us and how it relates to us. One of the things that I’ve had a lot of e-mail about, and this happens frequently, “Hey, Rush, hey, Rush, did you hear what Conan said?”

“No, I didn’t hear what Conan said.”

“Hey, Rush, hey, Rush, do you care what Conan said?”

“Well, normally no, but what did he say?”

“Hey, Rush, hey, Rush, did you hear what Jon Stewart said?”

“No. I really didn’t hear what Jon –”

“Hey, Rush, hey, Rush, do you care what Jon –”

“No, what did he say?” So I had to go find out. And I’ve got the audio sound bites. I don’t even want to play the audio sound bites. I’ve got something that Conan said here. I’m paraphrasing. He’s all worried. He’s his wringing his hands out there. He said, “We shouldn’t have to pause and think before making a joke.” He’s all concerned now that, “Oh, gee, am I gonna say the wrong thing?”

See, Conan O’Brien lives in a protected liberal bubble where no matter what he says is going to be approved of, likely applauded, likely amplified, because he’s a good and proper liberal. So he never has in the world, apparently, had to be afraid of what he’s gonna say. I read comments like this and I wonder how long Conan would last on this program. I wonder how long Conan would last with media attention such as we on this program get.

It was Chris Rock the other day who said he stopped doing stand-up routines on college campi because the students don’t find anything funny anymore. They’re too busy being offended by his jokes. Political correctness has just swamped everything. So he said: I’m not playing college campuses. You can’t go out there, you can’t tell jokes, can’t be funny because people don’t laugh. They don’t think it is funny. They’re sitting there getting mad, getting offended.

This matters because this French magazine was telling jokes. They were writing articles that were satire and publishing cartoons that were satire. And so now leftist comedians are all worried, “Oh, no, now we’re going to have to start thinking before we joke.” And, you know, I don’t like to make this about me, and as you people who listen regularly know, I hate it when the program becomes about me and I strive to avoid that. But when I hear comments like this, I really wonder about the two worlds in which we live in, ’cause these guys that are liberal comedians or liberal commentators, they just have a cakewalk when it comes to free speech.

They can get away with saying anything, and not just get away with it, they’re applauded, and then what they say gets written about. Then what they say gets amplified and then what they say gets credited as great comedy or whatever. But Conan, my friend, there are a bunch of American commentators, and even I dare say American comedians, who have been having to pause and think before making a joke for over a decade now.

I know people who’ve lost jobs, who’ve lost money, some people who’ve even lost friends for saying things that liberals in America don’t approve of. Liberals, in their protected bubble, have no idea what happens to people when their buddies set out on ’em and try to destroy them.

For example, it is applauded in this country, it is celebrated in this country, you can get promoted, you can get a raise, you can get a new booking, you can get written about, you get profiles, you can be named one of Barbara Walters’ 10 more fascinating people in the world if you do one thing: make fun of Sarah Palin and her special needs child. You do that, and you are a hero in the American left. And not just Sarah Palin, but she’s one of the first examples that come to mind.

You go out, you make fun of Palin, her kids, anything that happens to Palin, make fun of her being stupid, whatever you want to do, Barbara Walters will find you one of the Ten Most Fascinating People, like Tina Fey. These guys all make all these jokes and so forth, and they’re celebrated as great thinkers and great artists and great comedians and so forth. Nothing ever happens to them because we do believe in free speech and we’re tough and we can take it, and so can Palin. But they can’t, is the point.

Nothing’s even happened to Conan O’Brien. He’s already scared. Nothing’s happened to Jon Stewart, and he’s running around, they sound like they’re scared. “Oh, my God, oh, gee, I have to pause and think before I make a joke, oh, oh. Oh, gee.” Well, there are Americans that have to be doing that because of the stupid political correctness that’s stifling all kinds of speech and creativity all across the fruited plain. But when it happens to these people, they think it’s never happened to anybody else before and, oh, it’s so threatening. And oh, it is so dangerous and so forth.

Thank you. The mix minus is fixed? That’s true. I’m no longer hearing the one-and-a-half-second delay that I was hearing.

But my point is this. The suppression of free speech is the goal of people on the left in this country, folks. Now, for those of you listening for the first time today, I did not sit around last night, “Okay, how can I attack the left?” I’m not attacking anybody. I’m simply reacting to what I’m hearing. And those of you listening for the first time ever today or those of you who’ve been here for a long while, it may not hurt you to understand what happens here.

We don’t go on the attack. We are the attacked. What we do is defend the people, the things that we love and cherish. One of those things is free speech. Another of those things is the Constitution, which guarantees it. Thank God we don’t have to depend on human beings to guarantee it. The Constitution does that. But the Constitution’s under assault, too, so we’re worried about the that.

Character assassination. Intentional interference with contracts, the necessity of traveling with security. This is life in the USA now.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: Now, back to this Conan, Jon Stewart thing for just a second, ’cause I want to close the loop on that. I have seen these few comedians, Conan O’Brien’s one, Jon Stewart’s another, try to make serious statements. Oh, yes, hand over the heart, very, very serious statements about the terrorist attacks in Paris. They’re sick about the attacks on people who tell jokes for a living, ’cause this obviously strikes close to home. And they sincerely explained why it’s sick, and they sincerely explained how it’s way beyond wrong.

I know it was heartfelt, I know it was, but the leftists in power they bow down to, the leftist ideology they bow down to, meaning Hollywood, haven’t checked their personal donations to the Democrat Party, but its face it, the leftist ideology they support, the poisoning of the Republican brand, this meaningless War on Women thing that they all join in attacking the Republicans on. And of course they’ve all made their bones attacking Sarah Palin and her special needs child and all of her kids, and they’ve gotten great acclaim. Some of the easiest things in the world is to tell Palin jokes, but you would think they’re some of the greatest comedy acts in the world.

It’s a guaranteed go-to. Tell a Palin joke and everybody is gonna love you and think you’re great. It’s the easiest thing in the world to do, but now all of a sudden, oh, no, there’s a little fear and trepidation out there because, oh, no, we might have to actually start thinking before we tell a joke. Thinking about who? You’re not gonna start thinking about Palin. You’re not worried about offending Palin. You’re not worried about offending the Tea Party. They’re not worried about offending conservatives in general. But all of a sudden, oh, gotta very careful about Islam, the prophet, Mohammed, gotta be very, very careful.

But you go ahead, you poison the Republican Party, you go ahead and you continue to tell these lies about Republicans as racists, sexists, bigots, homophobes, you go ahead and continue to tell the lie about the Republican War on Women while the real guys conducting the real War on Women are murdering people left and right, and you’re gonna be afraid of them and you’re not gonna talk about that much ’cause you have perhaps learned your lesson.

But you know the Republicans, they’re not gonna fire back at you. Ah, the Republicans are gonna act scared. The Republicans gonna act like, “Oh, my God, would you please stop talking about me that way?” They’re gonna try make friends with you. So you’ll continue to have power over the Republicans, but you will not have power over Islam, and you know it and therefore no bravery anymore when it comes up. We have to start thinking before we tell our jokes.

I mean, look at what’s been directed at Palin and her family, her children. She’s got an autistic child that they routinely laugh at. You try that. The thing is, we never would, is the point. They do, routinely. Why is Palin such an enemy? What’d she ever do to these people? Why are Palin’s kids such an enemy to these people that now want to really make sure the Muslims don’t misunderstand. “Hey, hey, we’re gonna start thinking before we crack any jokes. Hey, this is serious stuff.”

They’re gonna have due respect for the Nation of Islam. They’re gonna have due respect for Al Sharpton and proper due respect for all of these militant leftist groups, including militant Islam. What is it that scares them so much about Palin? What is it that scares ’em so much about conservatism? Why do they get so scared about the Tea Party?

The answers are obvious, by the way. Most of these people know they’re living in a self-constructed little cocoon of things which really aren’t true, and anybody that comes along is gonna blow up the cocoon and cause a mad dash of reality to intercede is going to be an enemy. Palin supports limited government. She’s taken principled stands against crony capitalism. Any conservative that does is gonna become an enemy. They are the biggest enemy the left has. Even in light of what happened in Paris.

Got it right here again just to remind you, New York Times: “‘Dangerous Moment’ for Europe, as Fear and Resentment Grow.” Thirty-seven paragraphs, 1,600 words, worried about how this might cause the plebes and the ne’er-do-wells and the know-nothings in the middle class of Europe to support right-wing governments.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: Matt in New Orleans, I’m glad you waited. Welcome to the EIB Network, sir. Hello.

CALLER: Good afternoon. The reason that the left is so shaken up about the murders in Paris —

RUSH: Yes?

CALLER: — is this is the first time since they, the left, invented political correctness, that someone else has co-opted it and is setting the agenda and making the rules, and they don’t know what to do with that arrow out of their quiver.

RUSH: Wait, wait, wait. That’s intriguing. Explain that to me. This is the first time somebody else co-opted their PC agenda?

CALLER: Well, yeah, because PC, by definition, is run by the left.

RUSH: Right.

CALLER: You know, the right doesn’t have a PC or no other political organization is so concerned about restricting people’s speech.

RUSH: That’s true.

CALLER: And then all of a sudden, here comes the jihadist, and they do it, but they enforce it in a way that —

RUSH: Oh, I see. The magazine was saying things they don’t want said. So the jihadists go in, wipe ’em out, and co-opt their own politically correct point of view?

CALLER: Yes. Their own playbook is being used by the jihadists, and they don’t know what to do about it, because they know they don’t want to completely get rid of it and completely… I can’t think of the right word.

RUSH: So what you’re saying is that the jihadists are giving political correctness a bad name, and the leftists are worried about that.

CALLER: Yeah, exactly.

RUSH: So it’s not the murder that bothers them. It’s not the loss of life. It’s the loss of PC?

CALLER: Right. Right.

RUSH: Or the discrediting of it?

CALLER: The control of the language.

RUSH: He may have a point. I can see that being true in certain leftist circles. You know, the ideology matters above all else and they’ll do anything to protect it, and if the jihadists are gonna come along and use political correctness (meaning: you can’t say that) and take it extreme by killing people who say it — rather than just shutting them up, but killing them — I can see some leftists being worried that militant Islam’s giving PC a bad name. I hadn’t looked at it that way.