http://mediamatters.org/items/200407230011

Limbaugh: Sandy Berger incident "far worse" than Abu Ghraib

In response to a caller's assertion that under a similar rationale to the court proceedings leveled against soldiers implicated in the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal, former national security adviser Sandy Berger "deserves prison time," radio host Rush Limbaugh replied, "[U]sing your point of comparing this [the Berger incident] side by side with Abu Ghraib, yeah, you -- you're exactly right ... this is far worse. This is somebody who had far more access, responsibility, knowledge, and all that." Berger is under investigation for removing classified documents and personal notes from the National Archives last fall during preparations for his appearance before the 9-11 Commission.

From the July 22 broadcast of The Rush Limbaugh Show:

CALLER: Listen, I -- I'm really upset. If we can send our soldiers to prison over this Abu Ghraib, because they were supposed to know better, then what is going on here? The national security adviser to a president is supposed to know better. He deserves prison time.

[...]

LIMBAUGH: So, using your point of comparing this [the Berger incident] side by side with Abu Ghraib, yeah, you -- you're exactly right. We were told these people should have known better. This is unconscionable. The American people don't treat other people this way. Let's plaster their names all over the paper. Let's send them up for trial. Let's convict them. Let's put them in jail. Show trials and all this.

This is far worse. This is somebody who had far more access, responsibility, knowledge, and all that. And I -- but I -- you -- trust me on what I tell you about the words of the -- of the U.S. attorney that -- that's looking into this, [Deputy Attorney General] James [B.] Comey. They're refusing a deal. They're continuing to hold out this possibility of jail time and criminal charges.

As Media Matters for America has noted, Limbaugh has repeatedly downplayed, dismissed, and even endorsed the horrific abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib, prompting MMFA to call for the removal of Limbaugh's radio show from taxpayer-funded American Forces Radio and Television Service.

Anytime he can attack a democrat for anything he is right on it without fail.
He is the one who "doctor shopped" to quench his drug habit...he is the one who needs to be in jail according to his dogma.

He is trash!

You're absolutely right, Erin, that Limbaugh should go to jail just like he said all substance-abusers should. He's a two-faced jerk.

But what I hate is that we've given him and his ilk fodder for their foolishness. The fact is that Berger committed a crime, and his actions were highly questionable. None of us--the die-hards of the die-hards--can even say otherwise (and I'm glad we're all objective enough to be able to admit that this was a dumb thing Berger did, rather than automatically defending him).

But Limbaugh is employing the classic neocon tactic of comparing apples and oranges and trying to erase the crime of one of his own with the crime of one of ours. What do Berger's actions have to do with Abu Ghraib? Absolutely nothing. So why compare them? And even if you buy that Berger's crime is worse than what happened at Abu Ghraib (which I don't), so what? Why does what Berger did make what happened at Abu Ghraib okay? Obviously it doesn't, and even talking about them in the same breath is just dumb.

But then, I wouldn't expect anything else from the likes of Limbaugh.