Senate Democrats Call on Clear Channel to Denounce Limbaugh

Senate Democrats, including Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., called on Clear Channel Communications to “publicly repudiate” conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh, and comments he made that anti-war soldiers are “phony soldiers.”

Clear Channel Communications syndicates Limbaugh’s show and operates the local Minneapolis station, KTLK 100.3 FM, where Limbaugh is heard.

“Our troops are fighting and dying to bring to others the freedoms that many take for granted.  It is unconscionable that Mr. Limbaugh would criticize them for exercising the fundamentally American right to free speech. Mr. Limbaugh has made outrageous remarks before, but this affront to our soldiers is beyond the pale,” said the Democrats in an open letter sent to Clear Channel.  “We call on you to publicly repudiate these comments that call into question their service and sacrifice and to ask Mr. Limbaugh to apologize for his comments.”

Klobuchar’s press secretary, Linden Zakula, confirmed to Minnesota Monitor that the senator had signed on to the letter.

Iraq war veteran Brandon Day also condemned Limbaugh’s statement.

“The reason that I am so active against this war is the same reason that I joined the military after September 11, namely my strong sense of duty to America,” said Day in a statement issued by Americans Against Escalation in Iraq.  “Rush Limbaugh accomplished two things with his careless words. Number one, he re-enforced the idea that he is nothing more than a cheerleader for the Bush administration’s failed policy in Iraq. Secondly, that he’s never had the guts to serve his country and has no right to judge soldiers who had the integrity to serve.”

Day called on Sen. Norm Coleman, D-Minn., to condemn Limbaugh.

Alluding to Coleman’s support for a resolution condemning MoveOn.org for what was characterized as an anti-military advertisement, Day said, “I want Norm Coleman to introduce a resolution in the Senate denouncing Rush Limbaugh’s anti-troop remarks, and to run an ad in the newspaper against any member of the Minnesota delegation or possible candidate who doesn’t support this resolution, as he should be consistent in his `support’ of the troops and not simply use his `outrage’ for political purposes.”

Coleman had run an advertisement in the Star Tribune attacking DFL senate candidate Al Franken for not condemning the MoveOn.org ad.

Coleman’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Limbaugh, for his part, claimed that when he referred to “phony soldiers,” he was referring to one specific individual, Jesse MacBeth, who had falsely claimed to be a soldier while making an anti-war video.  But Limbaugh’s claim was undermined when he added, “I was talking about a genuine phony soldier. And by the way, Jesse MacBeth’s not the only one. How about this guy Scott Thomas who was writing fraudulent, phony things in The New Republic about atrocities he saw that never happened? How about Jack Murtha blanketly accepting the notion that Marines at Haditha engaged in wanton murder of innocent children and civilians?” 

Thomas is an active-duty soldier presently serving in Iraq, whose writings about the war in The New Republic have been attacked by the right.  Murtha served in the military during the Vietnam war.