Review: Rush Limbaugh - An Army of One

I just finished reading the new bio of Rush Limbaugh, by Zev Chafets. The inner sleeve mentions the author's first exposure to Rush's radio show and how it made an impact on him. That reminded me of MY first exposure to Rush.

I was living in Indianapolis at the time. I remember driving down I465 and seeing a billboard with the exclamation: Talent on Loan from God. I had heard about Rush, but those initial impressions were negative, courtesy of the mainstream media. I tuned in nonetheless. I believe the year was 1988.

It took me a few weeks of listening to finally "get" where Rush was coming from. I remember hearing some of his parodies and feeling a bit outraged. He seemed really over the top back then. I seem to remember that Rush exhorted his listeners to give him three weeks to understand where he was coming from. I gave him the time and have been an avid listener ever since. I've been a subscriber to Rush 24/7 since he first initiated it on his website and I look forward to the "Limbaugh Letter" every month. Such are my credentials.

For those long-time listeners of Rush, Zef Chafets brings back a lot of memories. He chronicles Rush's history, which most long-time listeners will remember, but does it with a more detailed picture. He has done a very good job of filling in the blanks that Rush's listeners may have had after listening to him over the years. I've always thought I had the full picture, but Zef Chafets has expanded it.

As fans of Rush, we all know his beginnings in Cape Girardeau, his stint in Pittsburgh and his tenure with the Kansas City Royals before finally landing in Sacramento, CA. We remember his time in NY and his move to the "Southern Command" in Florida. What we don't know are some of the details in between and Zef Chafets does a great job of filling in the gaps to make Rush's journey much more personal.

There are few revelations in the book, but lots of details to give all long-time "ditto heads" (yes, I consider myself one) plenty to enjoy. If you're a recent fan of Rush, you owe it to yourself to read this book. I can't think of a better way to understand this man's journey and the impact he's had on today's political landscape.

For Rush Limbaugh fans, I give this book a hearty approval. You'll be inspired to go back and re-read "The Way Things Ought to Be".