Rush Limbaugh says journalists who chastise the behavior of President Trump’s supporters at rallies are really upset that Americans can respond to “garbage human” insults in 2018.

The man behind the “golden EIB” microphone celebrated 30 years on air by telling listeners how much has changed over the decades. Mr. Trump’s Tuesday rally in Tampa, Florida, along with anger over the heckling of CNN’s Jim Acosta, prompted a monologue on media bias.

“Let me just share with you a report here from somebody at Politico,” the conservative said. “‘Politico reporter Marc Caputo mocked attendees of President Donald Trump’s Tampa rally Tuesday night, referring to them as toothless ‘garbage people.’ After nearly 11 hours, Caputo posts an apology. ‘I need to apologize for tweeting caustic remarks after seeing a reporter berated & abused. Hate begets hate. My comments referred ONLY to those jeering and swearing at the man, not a broad swath of people. But the fault is mine for causing confusion and feeding anger.’”

At issue were rally attendees who shouted “CNN sucks” while the network’s chief White House correspondent spoke with colleague Wolf Blitzer.

While it’s usually a good idea to just delete tweets that are wrong, I own this and the criticism (both accurate and misleading) that has followed. I’ll do better. Here they are: 3/3 pic.twitter.com/G2rZrHjYWb — Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) August 1, 2018

Mr. Limbaugh essentially said that modern technology and various social media platforms allow viewers to regularly see that they are viewed with contempt by journalists.

“[Trump voters are] basically a bunch of disjointed, angry people who cannot adapt to the transforming of American culture and society [to reporters],” Mr. Limbaugh said. “They are a bunch of toothless, brain-dead people sitting on the deck out in front of the shack playing the banjo as Burt Reynolds and the boys go rafting by. That’s what [reporters] think of your average Trump voter, and this guy just happened to let it out.”

The radio host also asserted that Mr. Acosta “secretly and privately loves” the attention he’s getting because he goes out of his way to be adversarial with the president.

“Outside of this, he’s a typical CNN no-name,” Mr. Limbaugh said. “But Trump and his administration have singled him out because Acosta decides to play rude, decides to be a provocateur. He knows Trump is gonna hit back, and I’ve maintained that Acosta loves it secretly every time it happens.”

“Acosta gets to go out and play like he’s actually at war and that there are real bullets being fired and he’s risking his life to go to a Trump rally and report what’s going on there,” he continued. “What they really can’t stand is that Trump still sells out and the people there are still madly in love with and totally supportive of Trump.”

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