Rush Limbaugh: Cut out of the NFL

"It's official: Rush Limbaugh has withdrawn as a minority participant in a group that is trying to buy the St. Louis Rams," said John Hinderaker in Power Line. Dave Checketts, the sports businessman leading a group vying for the National Football League franchise, "dumped the controversial conservative talk-show host" after "Democratic Party outlets like CNN" dredged up fake quotes to paint Limbaugh as a racist and said he wasn't fit to be an NFL owner.

You can hardly blame Limbaugh's buddies for abandoning him, said Alex Koppelman in Salon. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had made it "crystal clear" that a talk-radio host with a habit of making divisive comments would not be welcome in professional football. "The odds that Checketts' bid will be successful are still small," but getting rid of the "radioactive" Limbaugh at least gives it a chance.

At what cost? said John Ziegler in Big Hollywood. The hysterical opposition to letting Rush Limbaugh into the exclusive club of NFL owners was based on the "incendiary claim" that he's a racist—based largely on his "legitimate observation" in 2003 that some of Donovan McNabb's positive media coverage stemmed from reporters' desire to see a black quarterback do well. "Quite simply, what is happening to Rush is beyond outrageous and frankly dangerous to the property and free speech rights of all Americans."

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Get real, said Firedoglake. Nobody can honestly believe that "the most serious free speech issue in America right now" is that one rich white jerk is being told by other rich white jerks "that he can’t join their club." So listen up, all you "right-wing idiots now threatening to boycott the NFL." Rush Limbaugh is "toxic," and that's his own "tantrum-throwing" fault.