Rush Limbaugh Plays to the 99 Percent

Could it be that right-wing radio behemoth Rush Limbaugh understands what the Occupy Wall Street movement is really about? Even weirder, could he actually sympathize with the struggle? Maybe, considering a mini-tirade Limbaugh unleashed on his listeners, set off by the occasion of NBC hiring Chelsea Clinton as a “special correspondent.” David Sirota has more in his latest column.

But lest we get too carried away, it’s not like Limbaugh is all that understanding, as this transcript illustrates.  —KA

David Sirota in Salon:

Discussing the recent announcement that Chelsea Clinton — who has no journalistic experience whatsoever — will now be a top correspondent for NBC News, Limbaugh echoed some of the points made (far more cogently) by my Salon colleague Glenn Greenwald. He [Limbaugh] said…:

“All of a sudden she’s at the top of the media. She’s at the top of the ladder. She’s paid no dues. Not born on third base. Born at home plate after the home run. She has not worked anywhere in journalism. She’s never had a job.

“Now, that gets to the other point of this. Let’s go down to Occupy Wall Street or wherever else that there’s an Occupy, or go wherever there is a collection of liberals. What are they mad about? They’re mad about the 1 percent, and what are they mad about about the 1 percent? The 1 percent’s got it all. The 1 percent has everything and they’re not sharing it with anybody, and they didn’t work for it. There aren’t any jobs for anybody else because the 1 percent are making sure they’ve got all the jobs and they’ve got all the money.”

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AP / Chris Carlson