RUSH: Theodore, Baltimore, Maryland. It’s nice to have you on the EIB Network. Hello.
CALLER: Good evening. Good afternoon. I’m respecting the service of both ‘Mister’ McCain and Three Star General Mr. Clark. I think they both served honorably. I wouldn’t consider Mr. Clark failed, and I do think that once I’ve listened to it, Mr. McCain sounded weak. Mr. Clark, and even speeches by the late Ronald Reagan, sounded more forceful. If the attitude displayed by ‘Mister’ McCain in answering this statement back is what we should expect from him in the White House, I think we’d be in trouble. Now, in reference to qualifications, you’re right. Mr. Obama wasn’t in the service. But I think he’s very measured. I like the way he takes the time to talk about what he wants to do, his plans. I think his plans and his signing of the — and his support of the — Veterans Bill which Mr. McCain was against, I think that shows he is supportive of the troops. I like his ideas on taxes.
RUSH: That support of the Veterans Bill was to cover the fact that he’s actively sought the defeat of US troops in Iraq.
CALLER: Well, you know… Let me explain something, Mister, uh, Mr. Limbaugh. Anybody who says that you support the defeat of troops, I wouldn’t say that’s treason. I would say that’s absolutely outrageous coming from the mouth of those who didn’t choose to serve. I’m a only son. My mother was blind. I got out on an honorable discharge in hardship conditions. I didn’t have to serve. Am I hero? No. I’m a man who did my job. But anybody who tells me that they can read somebody else’s mind, that’s wrong. ‘Mister’ McCain nor Mr. Obama want the death or defeat of our troops — and I would like you to retract that, if you would, because you’re wrong.
RUSH: Mr. Theodore, I am not going to retract it, because it is true. Mr. Theodore, you’ve also said you’ve come up with something that the left in this country has been trying since I first became aware of it in the mid ’80s, and that is if I didn’t serve, then I’m not allowed to comment.
CALLER: But it’s a funny thing, everybody who disagrees with you, you call them names. Everybody… I know it’s a critical campaign and you support your candidate.
RUSH: That’s another liberal cliche straight out of a website! I don’t call them names. I do satire. I make fun of the left, and they can’t handle it. We’re supposed to sit around and be made fun of and laughed at all the time. Fine, I can take that. They can’t.
CALLER: Sir, everybody can take sarcasm if they’re adults. But I heard you all knock Mr. McCain for a whole year when his campaign was down. Now you’re being hypocritical, and you’re coming around supporting the guy.
RUSH: (bursts out laughing) Geez!
CALLER: And I look at the qualifications…
RUSH: Geez.
CALLER: I look at qualifications and I look at abilities.
RUSH: (laughing)
CALLER: Mr. McCain, out of 900 people, was fifth from the bottom of his class in Annapolis. Now, that should tell you something about whether he’s competent or not.
RUSH: (laughing)
RUSH: This is about the third time he’s run for president. Maybe he’ll get it right, but I don’t think so. But I think to question a man’s —
RUSH: All of these… (laughing) I don’t know where to start with you. I was criticizing McCain all last year and now all of a sudden I’m supporting him?
CALLER: Yes! Yes. I heard all of the people on radio, particularly right wing radio: His campaign was dead, because he supported immigration and the Open Borders Bill, he’d be —
RUSH: You should call the McCain campaign and say, ‘Guess what. I’m Mr. Theodore. I just spoke with Mr. Limbaugh and he’s supporting your campaign.’ They will laugh at you and hang up the phone on you thinking you are a kook.
CALLER: But tell me —
RUSH: Of course, I’m going to defend anybody with McCain’s military record who is attacked by people who cannot hold a candle to it! This is not about politics or ideology here, Mr. Theodore.
CALLER: Let me explain something. I was diverted from Vietnam. When my mother got a hold of my recruiter, he called some politicians. My orders were changed to Germany. I was a personnel… I was a grunt, but I was a personnel specialist. But the first thing they handed me when I went to Germany was my rifle, because I had field maneuvers and I went on alert a couple times.
RUSH: What does this have to do with anything?
CALLER: Now, does my service make me a hero? Does my service make me a hero?
RUSH: In somebody’s mind it might. You know, heroes get defined in many different ways. Whether you volunteered or not, if you did it, you joined the armed services, I think that there are a lot of people who have exhibited heroic acts and deeds and have achieved this kind of status. But you know, you call me a (laughing) turncoat for supporting McCain? You’re an Obama hack! You’re just a full-fledged, 100% Obama hack. See, what happened here on this show today, Mr. Theodore, is that Obama tried to get away with redefining — and we respect your hackery, by the way, because we’re talking to you. You know, I respect any hack. You respect any military person; I respect any hack. Your hackery, I have demonstrated monumental respect for. But what happened is Obama goes out tries to redefine patriotism, tries to blunt McCain’s hero status and his qualifications at the same time erasing a McCain strength — when Obama might have trouble finding Annapolis, might have trouble finding West Point unless they put him in an SUV and took him there — and I don’t let Obama get away with this. So the Obama hacks like you, Mr. Theodore, have to call here and try to set the record straight. (interruption) Well, that’s true. Next time you talk to Obama, Mr. Theodore, ask him in which of the 57 states that he said he’s campaigned in, you’ll find the Military Academy and the US Naval Academy.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: I’m still trying to figure out what Mr. Theodore was so defensive about because nobody attacked Mr. Theodore’s military record except Mr. Theodore. Mr. Theodore gave us his military record. ‘Do you think that qualifies me for a hero?’ Only Mr. Theodore downgraded his military service. But Mr. Theodore’s hacks whom we respect are out there trying to destroy McCain’s service left and right.