Confessions of a Liberal: Why I Listen to Rush Limbaugh

I will fully admit that I am a liberal. I voted for the Green Party candidate in the last election, I consider what Al Gore has to say, and I routinely support the most liberal of candidates on the voting block. I work to clean up the environment, and my writings no doubt have a very progressive slant. I enjoy listening to Air America, and Ed Schultz, and I count a number in the GLBT community as my friends.

Yep. When it comes to stereotyping, I pretty much fall into the cast of a liberal.

There is something about me that many of my more zealous friends would shudder to know. There is a radio personality that I simply adore listening to. He is, of course, a champion of all things conservative, and is quoted for both favorable and unfavorable purposes. His name is Rush Limbaugh. Now before the liberals shut down their computer screen in disgust, or the conservatives get the impression that I wish to defect, allow me to explain. Above all else, Limbaugh is an entertainment powerhouse that should be utilized by the entire community.

Perhaps one of the first reasons why I enjoy listening to Mr. Limbaugh is because he is actually pretty funny. I'm not entirely sure if he means to make me laugh, but at least twice throughout the radio show, I can find myself laughing either at his perceptions, or his imitations of the 'leftist wackos' as he so often calls us. I have to admit, even though his rantings are usually fueled by fantasy more than fact, sometimes he does hit the nail on the head.

Another reason why I enjoy listening to Limbaugh is because like it or not, he is the voice for a number of my fellow countrymen. I don't have the illusion, like many people I know, that everyone agrees with me. Since I can't reasonably talk to everyone with a different mindset than me, listening to someone like Mr. Limbaugh is a way to get a pulse on that movement. Please don't misunderstand, though. I don't think that the words coming out of his mouth represent all the thoughts of the conservative movement. There are many out there that are more zealous than he is, as well as those who have more moderate views. Rush Limbaugh, however, for basic purposes can be considered one of the mouthpieces of the conservative movement in the United States.

The third main reason why I listen to Mr. Limbaugh on a regular basis is because he encourages me to constantly reassess and re-evaluate my stance on issues. So far, he hasn't convinced me to change my mind on the important things, but he certainly presents some compelling arguments at times. Often, I can be seen driving down the street, openly arguing with the radio; offering counterpoints to his, thereby understanding my position that much better. Thankfully, I usually have a hands free device attached to my ear, so people believe that I am talking earnestly on the phone. At least that's what I like to believe.

I will admit, I have never called the radio show, and I have never met Mr. Limbaugh in person. I cannot say for certain whether or not the persona that he presents over the airways is actually his own personality. In any case, he is very enjoyable to listen to, even if I believe him to be mistaken in a number of his opinions.