RUSH LIMBAUGH WATCH

"Under new federal sentencing guidelines, possession of the amount of
OxyContin that Limbaugh purportedly bought (through his housekeeper) could
get him 10 years in a federal penitentiary. Florida laws are far less
stringent -- unless prosecutors decide to go after him for related crimes,
such as money laundering. In any case, he's in a lot of trouble. On Oct. 3,
millions of loyal dittoheads tuned in to hear Limbaugh say it isn't so. But
he didn't. He called the allegations 'an emerging situation.' . . .
Translation: My lawyer says to shut up. . . . Limbaugh is in a position to
tell this simple truth to the world.

Instead of lecturing druggies on 'the right way to live,' he could use his
golden microphone to coax his listeners and fans -- including ex-alcoholic
George W. Bush -- into a more decent, rational drug policy." -- Zev Chafets,
New York Daily News.

"The man is entitled to a presumption of innocence until charged, let alone
proven guilty.

Still, I'm wondering why Limbaugh didn't say: 'Folks, I've never illegally
purchased any drug at any time in my life.' " -- Richard Roeper, Chicago
Sun-Times.

"If not destroyed, Limbaugh's life certainly seems to have been harmed, but
not by the drugs.

He is an otherwise upstanding citizen whose reputation is being ruined by
the laws against drugs rather than the drugs themselves. At the moment, he
looks like the poster boy for the legalization movement.

Yet Limbaugh has specifically rejected that movement. Why? I suspect the
explanation arises out of the central flaw in the thinking of all of these
talk-show conservatives, their hatred for what they term 'elites' . . .
Conservatism is by its very nature an elitist philosophy. A thinking
conservative would be bothered not in the least by the idea that it's fine
for a cultured and civilized citizen to indulge in an activity that might
cause chaos when indulged in by his inferiors. If in fact these charges
against Limbaugh are borne out, here's what I'd like to hear him say: 'Yeah,
I do drugs.

Mountains of them. But I don't bother anyone.

I'm rich. I don't have to stick up 7-Elevens to pay for my habit.

So it's none of the government's business.' "