Tributes poured in for conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, who died Wednesday at the age of 70 after a battle with lung cancer.
Conservative pundits, Republican lawmakers, and even former President Donald Trump, who has kept a low profile since leaving the White House roughly a month ago, offered praise for Limbaugh.
“Rush Limbaugh was a giant. With his straightforward, simple articulation of conservatism, he inspired millions. He was one-of-a-kind and he will be missed,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas.
Rush Limbaugh was a giant. With his straightforward, simple articulation of conservatism, he inspired millions. He was one-of-a-kind and he will be missed.
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) February 17, 2021
Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz called the host a “giant,” sending condolences to his family.
“Rush was a giant. We will miss his clarity on the airwaves and the kindness he brought to those around him. We wish his family comfort in these difficult times,” Gaetz said.
Rush was a giant. We will miss his clarity on the airwaves and the kindness he brought to those around him.
We wish his family comfort in these difficult times.
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) February 17, 2021
Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan praised Limbaugh by dubbing him the “greatest radio host of all-time.”
“Rush Limbaugh was an icon, patriot, and American hero. No one fought harder for freedom and liberty. The greatest radio host of all-time will be missed by millions. God bless his family,” Jordan said.
Rush Limbaugh was an icon, patriot, and American hero.
No one fought harder for freedom and liberty.
The greatest radio host of all-time will be missed by millions. God bless his family.
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) February 17, 2021
MSNBC host Chris Hayes listed Limbaugh, alongside Trump and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, as one of the most influential figures in modern conservatism.
I think Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh and Donald Trump are three of the five most important and influential conservative figures in American life over the past three decades. (along with Ailes and Murdoch) The conservatism we have is the conservatism they have forged.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) February 17, 2021
Conservative commentator Dave Rubin reflected on times when he disagreed with Limbaugh but then came to align with his worldview.
Sorry to hear of the passing of Rush Limbaugh. A man who I once disagreed with on almost everything, who, over time, I began to agree with on most everything. But politics aside, a true pioneer in communication and media.
— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) February 17, 2021
Conservative commentator Dan Bongino returned to Twitter, after swearing off the social media platform last month, to offer kind words to Limbaugh and his family.
“Breaking my Twitter silence to send my condolences to the Limbaugh family. Rush changed my life, along with the lives of millions of others. The world is going to be a different place without him,” Bongino said.
Breaking my Twitter silence to send my condolences to the Limbaugh family.
Rush changed my life, along with the lives of millions of others. The world is going to be a different place without him.— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) February 17, 2021
Fox News host Laura Ingraham touched on her longtime friendship with Limbaugh.
A true friend for 25 years. An inspiration. A patriot. Worked til the end to save the America we all love. An irreplaceable national treasure. Thank you, Rush.
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) February 17, 2021
Fellow Fox News host Sean Hannity said talk radio wouldn’t exist without Limbaugh’s influence.
“He literally did something that nobody at the time thought was possible,” Hannity said on Fox News.
Fox host Tucker Carlson called Limbaugh a “decent and nice” person, adding that he believed the host always was “sincere” in his beliefs.
“He came out of nowhere,” Carlson said. “I’ll never forget the shock and the horror of people who lived in Washington, where I live, when they found out it existed.”
Carlson said Limbaugh was a “man who became a movement.”
Conservative radio host Mark Levin said losing Limbaugh was like losing Thomas Paine.
“It is a tremendously sad day for people who love this country and don’t believe in its fundamental transformations,” Levin said, calling into Fox News. “Tremendously sad day for those who salute the flag and embrace the military and law enforcement. … We’ve lost Thomas Paine. We’ve lost a voice like no other.”
Trump called into Fox News for his first interview since leaving the White House to offer praise of Limbaugh, whom he presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during his 2020 State of the Union, just days after Limbaugh publicly announced his cancer diagnosis. Trump said Limbaugh was “with me right from the beginning” and revealed he had spoken with Limbaugh three or four days before he died.
“His fight was very, very courageous, and he was very, very sick. … He was fighting until the very end. He was a fighter,” Trump said on Fox News.
Former President George W. Bush also weighed in, calling Limbaugh an “indomitable spirit.”
“While he was brash, at times controversial, and always opinionated, he spoke his mind as a voice for millions of Americans and approached each day with gusto,” Bush said in a statement.
The Rush Limbaugh Show was first nationally syndicated in 1988 in New York City and became the highest-rated talk show in the United States. He had hosted the show, which had a monthly audience of 25 million on more than 650 stations in 2018, from a home studio in West Palm Beach, Florida, since 1996.
Limbaugh’s death was announced by his wife, Kathryn Adams Limbaugh, on his show.
