RUSH: Mike in Hillsborough, New Jersey, welcome, sir, to the EIB Network. Great to have you here.
CALLER: Rush, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for changing the way I think, making me into an optimist, making me into a critical thinker, and also I was a union worker for 40 years, and I love you.
RUSH: Oh!
CALLER: And I went to see you last night, Rush, you were awesome.
RUSH: Awww.
CALLER: Let me tell you.
RUSH: Thank you very much.
RUSH: (laughing) You know he’s in New York today. He’s got five fundraising stops in New York. It’s the worst gridlock situation in Manhattan in I don’t know how long. Do you realize what he missed? He could have been there last night, what Obama coulda learned if he’d-a showed up last night. I’m glad you liked it. I’m glad you had a good time.
CALLER: And I’ll come see you any time you’re there. You’re my hero. You taught me how to think; you taught me how to think for myself; you taught me how to be an optimist. And I’ve been through this with Jimmy Carter before. I remember feeling bad and deflated, and I saw Ronaldus Magnus come in and I saw what he did. So I know it’s not this country, and I know it’s the leader of this country that’s doing this. And thank you every day, every day. And I’m a taxi driver, and I listen to you in the cab. You could not believe the people that tell me to shut off that radio. I kicked one lady out of the cab, I said, “This is America, I’m listening to this guy.”
RUSH: (laughing) Where do you drive a cab?
CALLER: Island Park.
RUSH: Island Park. And what do the ladies do when you refuse to turn the radio off?
CALLER: Well, first she said would I please turn it down and I said no. “Could you turn the channel?” I said no. “I don’t like this guy.” I said, “Well, this is America. I’m gonna listen to what I want.” And they all hate you, Rush, they all hate you. And when I ask ’em, give me one example why they hate you, they can’t give me one example. And if they do give me anything, it’s like, “Oh, he’s a big mouth.” I didn’t ask you for that, just give me one example. But they’re just close minded, Rush, that’s all it is.
RUSH: Well, that’s true, but it’s also the fact that they’ve never listened, so all they know is what the public media image of me is. And I don’t have a PR firm out there countering this stuff ’cause frankly I don’t care. I care about all of you in the audience. And I hear stories like this, it warms my heart, makes my day because you’re probably passing up tips.
CALLER: Eh, it doesn’t matter.
RUSH: This is costing you money. Speaking of which, do you have an iPad?
CALLER: Oh, Rush, I don’t.
RUSH: Well, you want one?
CALLER: That would be great.
RUSH: All right. We’re gonna send you an iPad. And I’m gonna send you a couple cases of Two If By Tea.
CALLER: Ahhh, you’re the man.
RUSH: I can’t believe how many tips this guy has probably foregone because you have stuck to your guns and been loyal with that radio on in the cab.
CALLER: And another thing, Rush, I was married August 1st, and she comes in second to you, too. (laughing)
CALLER: Well, I married her before you. But, you know, you —
RUSH: Oh, okay. She’s probably happy by this time. Now, look, Mike, do not hang up.
CALLER: Okay.
RUSH: Snerdley can get your address where we can send you the goods. I’m also gonna throw in, we got this new thing that we’ve introduced at the tea company, this gift set with two great mugs, coffee mugs or tea mugs, they’re fabulous with Rush Revere. So I’m gonna send you one of those. What tea do you like, regular or raspberry flavored?
CALLER: Well, Rush, I like regular.
RUSH: Okay. Sugared or artificially sweetened?
CALLER: No, I like the regular because I don’t like that diet stuff.
RUSH: All right, I won’t send you the diet stuff even though our diet stuff is great. I’ll send you the regular stuff, regular tea, and an engraved EIB Rush signature iPad.
CALLER: This is awesome.
RUSH: Yeah, it’s great, and all you gotta do is just turn it on and it works.
CALLER: This is awesome, Rush.
RUSH: Well, you made my day here, and I just got to thinking how many tips has this guy missed because he’s been loyal out there. People challenge your religion and you stick to it, and he did. Thanks, Mike.