Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden trashed conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh during a CNN town hall as he also offered meaningless “empathy” for his illness.
The former vice president turned to the predictable liberal talking points to smear Limbaugh as racist and divisive during the town hall Wednesday in Manchester, New Hampshire when he was asked to react to the talk show icon receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom during the State of the Union address.
(Source: CNN)
“Mr. Vice President, yesterday, I want to ask you about something that happened at the State of the Union,” CNN’s Anderson Cooper began at the event Wednesday.
“You were awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the highest civilian honor, by President Obama. And I was wondering — it was obviously a very emotional moment for you — I remember the ceremony” Cooper gushed.
“Last night, President Trump awarded the same medal to Rush Limbaugh. I’m wondering what you thought when you learned about that,” Cooper said.
Biden, with his head lowered during Cooper’s remarks, made the sign of the cross then shook his head, prompting laughter and applause from the crowd.
“Look, Rush Limbaugh will spend his entire time on the air dividing people, belittling people, talking about how — talking about blacks in ways, African-Americans in ways that – anyway,” he finally said in response, apparently at a loss for any real examples to back his claim.
“I do feel badly, I mean this sincerely, that he’s suffering from a terminal illness,” he added, referring to the devastating cancer diagnosis Limbaugh shared with his listeners this week. “So he has my empathy and my sympathy no matter what his background is.”
But the Democrat could not leave it at that and went on to join others who have made baseless accusations and leveled disrespectful attacks on Limbaugh.
“The idea that he is at the State of the Union [and] receives a medal that is of the highest honor that can be given to a civilian, I find quite frankly, driven more by trying to maintain your right-wing political credentials than it is anything else,” Biden told Cooper.
“If you read some of the things Rush has said about people, their backgrounds, their ethnicity, how he speaks to them, I don’t think he understands the American code of decency and honor,” he continued.
“But look, this is Donald Trump,” he added, as the audience remained silent.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez displayed an epic lack of compassion in a video she posted after Limbaugh’s appearance at the State of the Union address, calling his tearful reaction to the honor ‘disingenuous” and calling him out as “virulent racist” with no facts to back her slanderous claim.
AOC erroneously attacks Rush Limbaugh as ‘virulent racist’; mocks him as he receives Medal of Freedom https://t.co/JH93o4DDca
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) February 5, 2020
Limbaugh’s longtime producer, Bo Snerdley, fired back at accusations of racism, issuing a challenge to CNN and its White House reporter Jim Acosta who accused the radio host of “a history of making derogatory comments about African-Americans” without offering one bit of evidence.
The award to Limbaugh was one of many moving moments during Trump’s address this week.
“Rush, in recognition of all that you have done for our nation, the millions of people a day that you speak to and inspire, and all of the incredible work that you have done for charity, I am proud to announce tonight that you will be receiving our country’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom,” the president said, as first lady Melania Trump bestowed the medal.
Rush Limbaugh tears up when Melania awards him Presidential Medal at SOTU; left lashes out over it https://t.co/r1HqBHJMli pic.twitter.com/kbyErhhfHf
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) February 5, 2020
Liberals with selective amnesia slammed the moment while ignoring former President Obama awarding the Medal of Freedom to comedian and talk show host Ellen Degeneres, actors Robert De Niro, Tom Hanks and Robert Redford as well as radio broadcaster Paul Harvey.
??? pic.twitter.com/S0EBys5r27
— Wes (@Wes9955) February 6, 2020
Biden’s insult of Limbaugh and his accusations against him were met with a quick reaction on Twitter.
Rush Limbaugh is not the least bit racist. Ive listened to him for 30 years and he doesnt “talk about blacks in ways”-whatever that means.
Biden is past his use by date. Why would he feel the need to attack Rush? Like him or not, he has had a huge impact on American Politics.
— sierra (@sierrahd28) February 6, 2020
Whether you agree or disagree with Rush Limbaugh he changed talk radio. That is worthy of a metal. Attacking him getting that award because you don’t like what he says is an attack on free speech.
— commonsense (@commonsense258) February 6, 2020
I cant believe the Democrat party. I cant understand it. I’m trying. I’ve been listening to rush since the 90s. He spoke his mind about the importance of freedom for all. Is there a sane democrat out there not filled with hate?
— Schone Hager (@schone_hager) February 6, 2020
Rush has actual PRODUCED something over the last 40 years whereas Biden has simply lived off all of our paychecks.
— Aqua Bill (@billhaley88) February 6, 2020
And speaking of awards…
Only one received an award from George Wallace.
Only one bragged about being “on the South’s side in the Civil War.”
Joe Biden is a disgrace.
Rush has been no. 1 for 31 years.
After 33 years, Joe Biden is still only no. 4 in Iowa. pic.twitter.com/uTxAPEunAE
— Elizabeth Harrington (@LizRNC) February 6, 2020
Biden has never listened to, nor read a word Rush Limbaugh has said or written. His ignorance was evident in his answer, which was nothing but a disparaging pack of lies about Rush.
— Snatching victory from the jaws of ineptitude (@MENeelz51) February 6, 2020
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Frieda@bizpacreview.com
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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