Rush Limbaugh routinely vents his racism, his misogyny and his bigotry against political foes. Now he's attacking an erstwhile ally with gay slurs.
A "Greek column" may simply be a support structure of architectural interest. The term may also be suggestive as gay phallic symbolism — clever dog whistle code for homophobes.
For a few brief minutes, Limbaugh's precise intent in using the expression may have been open to interpretation. But then he made his meaning abundantly clear.
"In the case of a society dominated by men who sequester their
wives and daughters, denigrate the female role in reproduction,
erect monuments to the male genitalia, have sex with the sons
of their peers, sponsor public whorehouses, create a mythology of
rape, and engage in rampant saber-rattling, it is not inappropriate
to refer to a reign of the phallus. Classical Athens was such a society."
—Eva Keuls, The Reign of the Phallus
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, President Obama, and FEMA
administrator Craig Fugate, left, meet with residents at Brigantine
Beach Community Center after Hurricane Sandy devastated the community.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Governor Chris Christie gave the keynote address at the Republican National Convention. He has been viewed by many as one of Mitt Romney's staunchest supporters in the 2012 presidential election.
Since Hurricane Sandy devastated coastal communities, however, Christie has worked closely with, and vocally supported President Obama.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Governor Chris Christie
rejects presidential politics on Fox News. Note the chyron
in the last twenty seconds of the video clip: "ROMNEY
MAY VISIT NJ TO HELP GOV CHRISTIE" Seems that for once,
attempting to politicize a disaster backfired on Fox & Friends
In his "Greek column" talk radio segment on Wednesday, Limbaugh mentioned Christie's name more than sixty times. His attitude about his fellow Republican was evident from the first sentence.
RUSH: [excerpts] New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has decided to play the role of a Greek column today for President Obama. Obama and Chris Christie will tour the Jersey shore. Who lives on the shoreline, Snerdley? That's exactly right. The one percent live on the beach. It isn't cheap, Rachel. I don't know if you know this or not. It isn't cheap to live on the beach anywhere. Well, there are a couple places, but, I mean, for the most part.
President Obama and the Greek column, Chris Christie, will be walking the coastline, viewing properties owned by the one-percenters, to whom Barack Obama has said, "You didn't build that. You didn't make that happen." [...]
Chris Christie's the only Republican out there not just praising Obama, I mean, let's just put it this way. Is it wrong for one man to love another man? But that man love out there, it's isolated to the state of New Jersey. [emphasis added]
—Rush Limbaugh: Chris Christie Plays Role of Greek Column for the Obama Reelection Campaign, October 31, 2012
Rush Limbaugh rags on Governor Chris Christie
Note Limbaugh's (false) assertion that "Bloomberg has endorsed Romney..."
In January Limbaugh said, "when it comes to his own political enemies, one thing you can say about Christie: He does not hold back." But Rush has long been suspicious of Christie: "I heard a lot of John McCain in that [Christie] speech. Well, maybe not a lot, but I heard enough to send up a red flag or two." And, "Governor Christie said his regime would also ban future coal projects. Dicey. Start talking about banning coal. That's what Obama does."
Rush summarized one of Christie's "John McCain" moments: "Christie's unhappy with the partisanship that exists in the country today." Rush elaborated, "[unlike Christie,] my definition of American exceptionalism has nothing to do with how the Republicans and Democrats get along with each other in Congress or in Washington."
Chris Christie, Barack Obama and Marine One
Rush even chided his audio editor on the air for leaving three seconds of applause for Christie's speech in a sound byte where one second would have sufficed. But when Christie asserted that "President Obama prepares to divide our nation to achieve reelection", Limbaugh hastened to praise the claim.
To Rush, Christie is now a dupe for President Obama.
RUSH: [excerpts] There's no other governor saying the things about Obama that Christie is. One week before the election. Look, there are just certain things here that you cannot ignore and with credibility you just can't gloss over. Cuomo's not saying this about Obama. Bloomberg isn't. No other governor is. Democrat or Republican, no other governor is...
Everything with Obama is pure all politics. He made that call to Christie and to Bloomberg and probably who knows who else hoping against hope that somebody give him the stage. And, lo and behold, Christie has. [emphasis added]
—Rush Limbaugh: A One-Percenter from the Jersey Shore, October 31, 2012
Rush doesn't merely insert the dagger; he gives it a twist by asserting betrayal. Limbaugh attributes the sense of betrayal to large numbers of other conservatives.
RUSH: [excerpts] I'm hearing all kinds of people say that the reason Christie did this is because he really wants to run for president 2016 and he can't do that if Romney gets elected. There are people on the Republican side who actually think that. I mean, if that's what people think, Christie has really orchestrated a major plunge here.
If this action of his has caused some in the Republican Party to think that he purposely undermined the nominee this year for his own benefit 2016 — and I know that there are Republicans that think that because I've talked to them. Well, I don't talk to anybody. I get e-mails. But still, that's devastating — and then the idea that what he effectively... I heard this, too. When I got up today, my e-mail in box was loaded with people.
See, yesterday, when this program ended, Christie and Obama had not yet held any meaningful joint appearance. There was nothing to really react to other than his over-the-top request for Obama, but after the program ended, they got together and Christie started praising Obama to the hilt and Obama started praising Christie and how neither of them care about politics; it's all about the people.
And I think fuses were lit, and my inbox this morning was smoking. I thought my iPhone was burning up. It was from Republicans who said that they'd exercised restraint yesterday but they were taking the gloves off today. And they also told me how they love my Greek column comments. But that's neither here nor there. So it's... I don't know. It's been disappointing to a lot of people, put it that way. [emphasis added]
—Rush Limbaugh: New Jerseyans Not Happy with Christie, November 1, 2012
Christie and Obama in one of many hand-shake moments
Rush seems to believe that Christie's appearances with Obama could swing the election.
RUSH: [excerpts] Folks, I'm gonna give you some advice. For those of you who are faint of heart, for those of you who scare easily, for those of you who... Let’s say you live in St. Louis. In the St. Louis Post-Dispatch today there are two pictures. There's a picture of a compassionate and caring and very attached and very hurting Obama, hugging a New Jerseyan who's lost everything. Right next to it is a picture of Romney in front of a large gathering waving and doing campaign appearances.
Of course, the juxtaposition is Romney doesn't care; Obama cares. If you live in St. Louis and you're conservative, you look at that and think, “Oh, my God. Oh, it's finished. It's over with. See, that's what Christie did. That's what Christie did for us. We don't have a chance.” If you’re like that, turn it off! I don't want you reading the Internet. I don't want you watching television.
I don't want you doing anything that is going to affect your turnout. [emphasis added]
—Rush Limbaugh: If You Can't Withstand Media BS, Turn Off Everything Else and Listen to This Show, November 1, 2012
Eventually, Limbaugh
thought better of his Christie coverage: "I've got sound bites of Chris Christie with Obama. I'm not gonna play 'em. I don't know why... (interruption) No, just: Why give the guy a plug? (interruption) What, do you want to hear them? You want to stir the crap is all you want to do."
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