Olbermann on Limbaugh

Keith Olbermann on MSNBC has offered the most concise smackdown of Rush Limbaugh's efforts to weasel out of his slander of antiwar troops as "phony soldiers."

It's important to note that Limbaugh says he used the infamous term only in reference to one guy who was caught lying about serving in the military, and he's supported that contention with a conveniently edited tape of his remarks.

Here's what Keith said the other night:

OLBERMANN: First the background. Comedian Rush Limbaugh has stuck to the standard scripture for fringe extremists—never apologize, attack anyone who criticizes you.

This time, Limbaugh claims that Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, who went to the floor yesterday asking Limbaugh's boss to repudiate his comments, took those comments out of context. It is the standard claim, debunked easily enough by listening to it. Something Limbaugh has denied his own listeners the ability to do when he later played an edited clip in his defense.

We will play the unedited clip in a moment. When you hear it, keep in mind, Limbaugh later claimed he was referring to one soldier whom he did not mention until two minutes after the clip you will hear has ended.

And the caller he speaks with, specifically says, prior to this clip, that he called as a, quote, "retort to the previous caller," an antiwar Republican military veteran.

Keep in mind, also, that you will hear Limbaugh agree with a definition of real soldier, which confirms the obvious interpretation of the term “phony soldier.”

(Audio tape)

LIMBAUGH: What is the imperative for pulling out? What's in it for the United States to pull out? They—I don`t think they have an answer for that other than, well, we've got to bring the troops home?

MIKE: Yeah, and, you know what?

LIMBAUGH: Keep the troops safe or whatever. It's not possible intellectually to follow these people.

MIKE: No, it's not. And what's really funny is they never talk to real soldiers. They like to pull these soldiers that come up out of the blue and stuff.

LIMBAUGH: The phony soldiers?

MIKE: The phony soldiers. If you talk to a real soldier, they're proud to serve. They want to be over in Iraq because they understand their sacrifice. And they're willing to sacrifice for their country.

LIMBAUGH: They joined to be in Iraq.

(End of audio clip)

OLBERMANN: Real soldiers joined to be in Iraq.