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Limbaugh: My Ratings are Way, Way Up

By: Byron York
Chief Political Correspondent
03/06/09 11:08 AM EST

One side effect of the Democratic campaign against Rush Limbaugh has been to increase -- dramatically increase -- the talk show host's ratings. This morning I asked Rush if he had any numbers he could share on just what effect the increased visibility has had on his business. This is his response:

The latest numbers I have are for January, well before this kerfuffle began, and they are through the roof -- six shares in NY, for example. There are daily ratings taken now in about the top 15 markets but I have not seen them yet. All I can tell you is that as of January, we booked 80 percent of all our 2008 revenue and we'll be over 2008 by the end of this month.

Given those numbers, it's clear that the most decisive economic stimulus produced by the Obama administration so far has been at the Excellence in Broadcasting Network.

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Reader Comments

All comments on this page are subject to our Terms of Use and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Examiner or its staff. Comment box is limited to 250 words.

Mar 6, 2009

Oh, man, that is classic. I love it.

Mar 6, 2009

You are CNBC of political reporters. Did you ask Rush if he was losing weight or getting laid more too? How about actually looking at facts instead of taking Rush's word for anything?

Mar 6, 2009

ou are CNBC of political reporters And you're all class. Why so nasty and bitter? Why are you on the Left such lousy winners?

Mar 6, 2009

I hope the lame stream media keeps up it's attacks on Rush. It makes them look like fools and Rush enjoys the ratings. Go Rush!

Mar 6, 2009

The numbers that Rush reported ARE facts, Boldbrooks. Those are his revenue earnings. You just choose to ignore them because you don't like Rush. Let's see, what other facts would you care to "look at"? How about the fact that Dow is in the toilet and unemployment just jumped to 8.1%?

Mar 6, 2009

"And you're all class. Why so nasty and bitter? Why are you on the Left such lousy winners?" It's because he knows that if Rush keeps on, in two years, the Lefties will be nasty and bitter LOSERS.

Mar 6, 2009

Yeah, he's probably just making it up. It's not like anybody's going to check his facts.

Mar 6, 2009

Why would the government waste time attacking a private citizen when we have such 'crises' facing us? If Obama can't stand the heat...its too bad because it's coming anyway.

Mar 6, 2009

Ha! If he keeps the Republican brand in the toilet, I'm happy for him to make as much money as he likes :) Go Rush, you big fat idiot!

Mar 6, 2009

Ha! If he keeps the Republican brand in the toilet, I'm happy for him to make as much money as he likes :) Go Rush, you big fat idiot!

Mar 6, 2009

Oh, how do I put this?....Oh, I know! BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Mar 6, 2009

If Rush were keeping the Republican brand in the toilet, the left would say nothing! After all, why would you want to comment about that? Truth is you hate Rush because he micks liberals and exposes them for the useful idiots they are.

Mar 6, 2009

Limbaugh and the kook right are the perfect face for the GOP! They have been played and appear to be too stupid to notice.

Mar 6, 2009

Rush the tragic addict lives obesely / He loves to lie and smear his foes, never mind hypocrisy /Little minds all over loved their braggart Rush / They bought his lies and angry rants and other made-up stuff ... OH (everybody now)....

Mar 6, 2009

The Illegal Immigrant-in-Chief is pushing us toward Socialism and shari'a. He's bankrupting and disarming the nation. Whom does that benefit? amillennialist.blogspot.com

Mar 6, 2009

How do you know the Lefest pigs been stuck. It's the loudness of the squeel baby. See obots response. *wink*

Mar 6, 2009

Maybe Clear Channel can hire back 1800 employess they laid off, to pay for Limbaugh's big fat $400 million contract. Any word on the sex and age of the people Limbaugh visited in the Domincan Republice. He was arrested when he returned to the U.S with Viagra prescribed to someone else.

Mar 6, 2009

God Bless You Rush!

Mar 6, 2009

God Bless You Rush!

Mar 6, 2009

My rantings are way up. Way up -- thanks to the absence of any real message on the Right Wing except wah wah wah. I hope America fails.

Mar 6, 2009

I must thank the White House for turning me on to Rush Limbaugh. I'd never listened to him before. He's not for everyone but hey, HE"S AN ENTERTAINER, that's it! The idea that a president is so weak that he needs to attack a private citizen and in unprecedented. Obama is insecure and it shows.

Mar 6, 2009

The joke is on Rush. What's he going to do with that money? Put it for a safekeeping in a bank, buy reputable stocks with it, front the money for a new business venture, sock it away in bonds, buy real estate? All splendid pre-Marxist ideas, but don't forget the taxman. And the crashman. And hyperinflation. Spend what you can now.

Mar 7, 2009

Probably the left (I don't believe "liberal" accurately describes them) got enraged at the good sense Rush made in his CPAC talk. To call Rush the face of the GOP is laughable. He has become a critic of GOP timidity (a point of have been arguing since the Democratic anti-GOP propaganda revved up after November 8, 1994. Still, it certainly was not politic to hope Obama failed. Also, perhaps Rush is personalizing too much in response to the admittedly ad hominem attack from the neo-aristocrats (people seeking the "ambitious sacrifice of the many to the aggrandizement of the few." (First line in Federalist No. 57 -- see also the first half of this document.) If there is no hue and cry from defenders of Rush, his ratings won't get the neo-aristocrats to pause. FYI -- see my lead on my website: www.lonelypamphleteer.com

Mar 7, 2009

Well, lets see, Obama, according to the dow is the worst president in history. the market has not had a decline like this with a president before. 3000 points since he took office.

Mar 7, 2009

this is one of the longest news article bloggy things i've ever seen. it's easy to believe his ratings are thru the roof

Mar 7, 2009

"You are CNBC of political reporters. Did you ask Rush if he was losing weight or getting laid more too? How about actually looking at facts instead of taking Rush's word for anything?" Not that I should answer an insincere leftist cretin [Bono's description of Coldplay spouse of Gwyneth], but Rush explained today that there is no Nielson equivalent for radio, but the revenues are based on estimated viewership by advertisers willing to pay money on a supply/demand basis, one of those economic subtleties leftists don't understand. Listen to him, boldbooks, and you might figure out where your mind went wrong!

Mar 7, 2009

It's a conspiracy! Obama and Rush are in it together! Rush paid off Obama so he;ll arrack him publicly and get revenue money! (cheesy smile) cnredd Political Wrinkles http://www.politicalwrinkles.com

Mar 7, 2009

Yay team! The American people know who is a real American and who is not! And it sure isn't Obama!

Mar 7, 2009

Wow, Obama & Emmanues are so dumb. All they accomplished with their Jihad against Rush is to make Rush even more popular. In related news; the GOP is now tied with the Democrats in Rasmussen's generic poll for Congress, for the first time since 2004.

Mar 7, 2009

"What's he going to do with the money?" Buy 400 ounce gold bars sitting under a bank in Zurich. Or stock in well run companies in Asian countries with san fiscal policies. What a dumb question.

Mar 7, 2009

What's silly about the operatives at the White House taking on Rush (that lovable little fuzzball) is that they act as if they believe he is some kind of political force within the GOP. Heck, during the primaries he was blasting away at the GOP establishment almost as much as he was at the Dems. Listen, everybody, he is an E.N.T.E.R.T.A.I.N.E.R. And he is very good at it, because he speaks what is on the mind of a lot of us in flyover country. I think that the only real skills that dear leader has have to do with backroom politics and campaigning. Neither of which will do us much good in terms of sorting out the economy or assuring national security. But, when the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.

Mar 8, 2009

When Obama tells people not to listen to Rush then those who love Rush will continue to listen and those who hate Rush will continue to not listen to him. But those who are neutral will become curious to what Rush is actually saying. How can his ratings not increase?

Mar 8, 2009

When you have both the president and the vice president on your radio show, you might say you are the leader of the GOP. When you say Hans Blix couldn't find WMD or his way out of a wet paper sack you are definitely on drugs.

Mar 8, 2009

Rush Limbaugh is currently enjoying his highest ratings in his broadcast career; however, the stock market was up there as well, just before it crashed.

Mar 9, 2009

Rush, the media keeps writing stories about you hoping you'll mention their names on your show. It's the only way for them to get attention.

Mar 9, 2009

The more people that listen the better. As it is now, his audience is just a bunch of old, white, ignorant racists and woman haters. More people need to hear this vile man. It will only help to speed the demise of conservatism and the GOP. Rush is poison. I love it.

Mar 9, 2009

Money Machine

Mar 10, 2009

I think Rush is doing great for himself. The GOP not so much. Look at latest poll numbers. He keeps singing to the base. To the rest of us he is signing way off key. God bless his rich but mean spirited self.

Mar 12, 2009

Of course, first you would have to believe Limbaugh to put any credence in this story and that is always a dicey proposition.

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Limbaugh: My Ratings are Way, Way Up

By: Byron York
Chief Political Correspondent
03/06/09 11:08 AM EST