Predictably, the Obama-is-killing-Christians-on-behalf-of-Muslims meme began to spread among rank-and-file conservatives, until Erick Erickson, the Red State founder, found himself forced to respond:

It is ridiculous that I'm even having to write about this, but I am. In the past 72 hours, I have gotten lots of emails from lots of people who should know better asking me if I've heard about Barack Obama sending American troops to Africa to go after the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). The people hearing the name assume it is a Christian group fighting radical Islamists in the Sudan or some such. It is no such thing.



What Limbaugh said is odious, irresponsible, offensive -- but what are you going to do? The man has long since proved that he has no shame. I've corresponded with people who've been persuaded, by past posts I've written, to stop listening to his show, but they're an unrepresentative few. Are a miniscule number of converts enough to justify talking about his oeuvre?

Perhaps not, unless there is a larger point to be made than the old news that he says indefensible things. In that spirit, I'd like to conclude this post by remarking on Limbaugh's corrupting influence. We've witnessed more than enough controversies like this, where no one is willing to defend the talk radio host's words, to know his public character and effect on political discourse. We're not talking about a couple slip ups for which he's apologized and should be forgiven. The man willfully traffics in odious commentary and has for years and years.

Shame on him, but that isn't where it ends. George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush ought to be embarrassed that they invited Limbaugh to the White House. The Claremont Institute, whose work I often respect, ought to be mortified that they sullied their Statesmanship Award by bestowing it upon Limbaugh. Shame on National Review for celebrating one of conservatism's most controversial figures in a symposium that didn't even acknowledge his many critics on the right. In it Heather Higgins remarked on "Rush's long track record of accurate predictions and analyses," Kathryn Jean Lopez commented on his "graciousness and humility," Mary Matalin said "he epitomizes what we all aspire to be, both as citizens and individuals," Andrew McCarthy claims his message is "always" delivered with "optimism, civility, and good humor," and Jay Nordlinger asserted that "he is almost the antithesis of the modern American, in that he doesn't whine." Every last claim is too absurd to satire, let alone defend.

Shame on The Heritage Foundation for sponsoring Limbaugh's radio show, and on the Media Research Center and Human Events for honoring Limbaugh's excellence ... and the list goes on, including the millions of people who support his radio show because they agree with Limbaugh's ideology, even though they'd be outraged if a liberal trafficked in similarly poisonous rhetoric.