The Secret History of Rush’s Acceptance Speech
One of this spring’s highly sporadic postings covered the impending monumentalization of Rush Limbaugh at the Missouri State Capitol, so it seemed appropriate to notice the final result of that controversy. The Republicans in the Missouri legislature kept the Dittohead faith, and had Rush’s head officially installed earlier today. They were so proud they tried to keep tried to keep the ceremony a secret:
UPDATE: Rush Limbaugh recognized in secretive ceremony at Missouri Capitol
Monday, May 14, 2012 | 3:31 p.m. CDT; updated 4:16 p.m. CDT, Monday, May 14, 2012
BY DAVID A. LIEB/THE ASSOCIATED PRESSJEFFERSON CITY — Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh was inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians on Monday during a secretive ceremony in the state Capitol as police stood guard to keep out any uninvited political opponents of the sometimes divisive radio show host.
Limbaugh, a native of Cape Girardeau in southeast Missouri, addressed a crowd of more than 100 Republicans during a closed-door event in the Missouri House chamber. Speaking from the chamber’s dais, he thanked his family for their support throughout his career, denounced liberals and Democrats as “deranged,” then helped lift a black curtain off a bronze bust of himself, which he hugged — head to head — for photographs.
The timing of the ceremony was kept secret until shortly before it occurred, and then only Republican lawmakers, other invited guests and the media were allowed into the chamber to watch — an attempt to avoid any public disruption after Limbaugh’s selection was criticized by Democrats, some women’s groups and other political foes.
Limbaugh, 61, arranged for a guest host to handle his radio show Monday so he could be at the Missouri Capitol. He repeatedly declared how humbled he was by the honor.
“I’m stunned. I’m not speechless, but close to it,” Limbaugh said to the laughter of the friendly crowd. “I’m literally quite unable to comprehend what’s happening to me today.”
The talk show host was selected for the Hall of Famous Missourians by term-limited House Speaker Steven Tilley, a Republican who like Limbaugh is from southeast Missouri. Tilley wants to display Limbaugh’s bust in the Capitol alongside other members of the Hall of Famous Missourians, including President Harry Truman, Mark Twain and Walt Disney — but that plan has already faced controversy.
Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon’s administration released a memo Monday indicating that a state board — not the House speaker — has the authority to determine what items are displayed in the third floor Capitol Rotunda where the busts are located. House Minority Leader Mike Talboy, D-Kansas City, also asserted that Tilley has no legal authority to order Limbaugh’s bust to be placed in the Capitol Rotunda.
“The secrecy and exclusion of the public demonstrates that even Republicans are embarrassed at honoring someone who recently called a female college student with whom he disagreed a ‘slut’ and a ‘prostitute,’” Talboy said.
There is something quite emblematic about the current GOP that they held the dedication of a public monument in private.
One possible argument against term limits.
Comment by Dana — May 15, 2012 @ 10:06 pm
If Gov. Nixon actually had any cahones, he’d go and personally remove Mr. Dittohead’s head from the gallery, which is not far from his office. University folk aren’t too happy about Nixon anyway; he wanted to cut a huge % from the higher education budget this year, and backed down only when Republican lawmakers said no (yes!).
Comment by Dan Mandell — June 12, 2012 @ 9:41 am