Conservative media icon Rush Limbaugh passed away on Wednesday morning following a battle with Stage IV lung cancer.
The announcement was made by Limbaugh’s wife at the beginning of his namesake daily talk radio show, which is heard by about 27 million people every week.
Whether one agrees with his ideological beliefs or not, media outlets and public figures were quick to emphasize the incredible impact Limbaugh has had on the American media and political landscape over the past few decades. He will likely go down in history as one of the most influential figures of his generation.
“Limbaugh came along at the perfect time—as the end of the FCC’s ‘Fairness Doctrine’ allowed broadcast media to be more opinioned, and as the end of other regulations allowed radio companies to replace local broadcasters with syndicated programs,” stated Dr. Chris Roberts, associate professor in the Department of Journalism and Creative Media at the University of Alabama. “As companies focused more on FM and put music there, he filled the AM with talk. He didn’t work well on television—but he was at the forefront of the phenomenon of talk radio that will continue, for better and worse, to outlast him.”
Limbaugh was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor, during then-President Donald J. Trump’s 2020 State of the Union Address last year.
Trump called into Fox News on Wednesday following the announcement of Limbaugh’s passing, praising the talk radio pioneer. The former president also released a written statement.
INBOX: Trump statement on Rush Limbaugh’s death: pic.twitter.com/CS2TeTpKHO
— Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) February 17, 2021
Statements mourning Limbaugh’s passing also came pouring in from elected officials in Alabama.
Governor Kay Ivey tweeted that Limbaugh’s “profound decades long career as a national voice for conservatives will be sincerely missed on the airwaves.”
“Rush Limbaugh led millions of listeners to embrace the conservative cause, and he will be deeply missed by all of us who admired him. Godspeed, Rush, and thank you for always being the voice of commonsense conservative values,” tweeted Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth.
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) said in a statement, “Over the course of many years, whether in the car or on the treadmill, there was one man who taught me so much about conservative values: Rush Limbaugh. I’m forever thankful for his impact on me and millions of Americans during his three decades on air. Rush’s thoughtful, conservative perspective will be sorely missed, but he has paved the way for the next generation of conservative voices. My prayers are with the Limbaugh family during this time.”
In a Facebook post, Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05) commented, “Rush Limbaugh captivated talk radio audiences for decades. He was a fearless commentator, a conservative firebrand, and a patriot. A trailblazer in radio, Rush gave a voice to the many men and women of this country who lacked a voice in the national mainstream media. Last year, President Trump awarded Rush the Presidential Medal of Freedom to acknowledge his profound positive impact on America. I am deeply saddened to hear of his passing after a hard-fought battle with lung cancer. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.”
Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) released a statement, saying, “I’m very sad to hear of the news of Rush Limbaugh’s passing. For more than three decades Rush has been a voice for conservatism. When he began his nationally syndicated program, he singlehandedly changed the political landscape of America. Rush’s message in the early 1990s helped lead to the Republican revolution of 1994, and I believe played a role in my own election in 1996. Rush will be missed. My prayers go out to his family and his millions of listeners.”
“I join millions of Americans in mourning the passing of Rush Limbaugh,” Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06) said in a statement. “I first listened to Rush in 1987, when I was still working for an international engineering company. I’d never heard anyone speak about the issues confronting our nation with such clarity. I really believe that Rush Limbaugh, in many respects, became a political mentor to me, as he was to millions more. Ronald Reagan may have launched the modern conservative movement, but Rush Limbaugh built it by speaking to tens of millions of Americans every week. He leaves a tremendous void, and it is now the responsibility of those he mentored to fill it. He will be greatly missed. Ann and I extend our deepest sympathy to the Limbaugh family at this difficult time and will remember them in our prayers.”
Rush Limbaugh, the father and patron saint of conservative talk radio, has passed away. His voice from behind the Golden EIB Microphone will be greatly missed, but today we remember the long legacy of defending liberty he leaves behind. We have lost a great American. pic.twitter.com/sRrhnZOD4q
— Attorney General Steve Marshall (@AGSteveMarshall) February 17, 2021
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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