A new national survey from PPP finds 46% of Americans have a positive opinion of Rush Limbaugh while 43% view him unfavorably.
The numbers break down on demographic lines pretty much as one would expect. Men, Republicans, whites, and older voters like him. Women, Democrats, young voters, African Americans, and Hispanics don't. The gender gap is one of the largest PPP has seen on any issue it's polled in the last year, with Limbaugh having a +19 (56/37) net favorability among men, but a -12 (37/49) with women. 31 point gender gaps don't come along all that often.
Even if voters are pretty split on whether they like Limbaugh or not, there's more of a consensus on how much sway they think he should hold in American politics, which is not much. Only 23% of respondents said Limbaugh should have 'a lot' of influence and the most common answer, given by 42% of respondents, is that he should have no influence at all.
Even among Republicans only 39% think Limbaugh should have a lot of influence, an indication that some GOP elected officials have perhaps been more eager to stay on his good side than necessary in the early days of the Obama administration.
Full results here
Monday, February 23, 2009
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57 comments:
Tom, are you going to do more national polling of other Republicans such as Palin, Romney, Jindal, Huckabee, and Sanford?
Rasmussen did the last poll on Palin and it had her at 52/46.
The numbers for Limbaugh seem to be too high because his numbers among minorities is actually incredible for a Republican. Any explanation?
I'm really surprised by such high approval numbers for Rush. I would have expected it to be more in line with the "true believer" numbers, maybe in the 25%-35% range. Any ideas?
No suprise here Lance. Rush's ideas resonate with the majority of Americans. Not the fringe Left or the fringe Right.
Most people that don't like him don't really listen to him. And his humor is male oriented.
As annoying as Rush is to listen to at times, one is nevertheless drawn to his radio show. I'm a conservative, middle-aged, white female (and NOT included in the poll) but have to agree with most of Rush's at times grating comments.
What is meant with Limbaugh "should" have a lot of influence? He DOES have a lot of influence - or haven't you been reading the comments, or listened to his callers?
Washington would do well taking some of his advice into consideration .....
Keep it up, Rush !
I/we LOOOOOVE Rush!!
And all my girlfriends, who can handle the truth, do too!
Rush -- pull us conservatives together. Let is know who your captains are. Turk in Indiana
I'm a Rushchick too. White, middle-aged and I read his website everyday. Listening to Rush isn't as easy for me as reading him. He can be a bit abrassive and I find myself losing the meat of his remarks, but not when I read them.
Too late to ask if he "should" have an influence on conservatives, he is one of the few truly conservative spokesmen going! People aren't stupid. We know when we hear our hearts echoed by a commentator. Rush is smart and articulate. He's able to put our frustrations, and hopes into words. It gives us a voice that our legislators fail to hear.
If Obama and his thugs press for the "fairness doctrine" or something like it, we'll find a way to hear from Rush and conservatives like him. It would only fire us with greater resolve and solidarity to defend the Constitution. We don't need 'thought police'.
Thanks Rush!!
Rush makes some really good points and focuses on the hypocrisy of the left. Anyone who doesn't like Rush must like the liberal, high tax, spendaholics policies the left is forcing down our throat.
Hal Lindsay wrote the book, "The Late, Great Planet Earth." I think he just missed the target.
I am a 44 year old mother of two with a loving husband and I have been listening to Rush since he came to Philly almost 18 yrs ago. (Like all life changing events I can tell you where I was and what I was doing) I absolutely love Rush!! When I first heard him thought WOW, someone who thinks like me!! I think he is right on, tells it like it is and has a great sense of humor. Anyone who thinks what the media says about him, you know, the usual, he is a racist, homophobe or whatever does not listen to him. Rush is our voice and what a voice!! Keep it up Rush, I believe there are more conservatives than not, we are just busy working. Real America loves You!! Remember America, forget that middle of the road stuff. If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything!!
I am a Rushchick too! I am 50, Hispanic and married to a Wonderful White Man! HA! I want to tell you Rush that as a woman, I want you to keep being Rush! Understand that the morning after the election, I turned my radio on to listen to your show. I was feeling down and out with the election results, but your words lifted me and helped me get through that long day. I have been listening to you for quite some time, but that day you made a difference! Thanks and, please don't change!
mwf middle age...Rush Rocks!!!
Rush is an entertainer and politicians provide the material. His poll numbers are irrelevant. His advertising dollars are the only important factor.
I can't believe you can even call what goes on here as "conservative" This is not conservative talk, they are lies to scare uneducated people. if you listen to rush you are buying into a bunch of bull hockey and you are a criminal if you think tourture makes us more safe...he is an ugly ugly man...in more than one way
just for the record "other republicans" is inaccurate. like me, a 36 year old native female baptist, Rush was abandonded by his party. Like it or not Limbaugh is the only game going that cites sources and dosent use fuzzy math but hits dems were it hurts-call it the TRUTH FACTOR-even if you dont care for him, there is no denying the truth he mines for us out of the D.C. swamp!! Godspeed Mister Limbaugh! Keep telling us what it really means!
I am a married WHITE FEMALE AGE 28 who listens to the MahaRushie every day along with my 52 year WHITE Mother. I love to chuckle at these so-called "polls", who never seem to poll ME or anyone I know.
Rock on Rushie!
Most who are critical of Rush don't actually listen to the show or attend class. I attend 5 days a week for three hous a day and have not heard one un-american thing. You go Rush!!
Rush, The lemmings have elected a professional con-man to the white house. I for one (female), want my voice heard, and you're it! I love listening to you. You're a genius!! Thank you!
It is like having your morning coffee. You can always feel that disappointment, when someone substitutes for him. My daughter of 5 year old gets excited hearing Rush voice.
One thing about Rush is that, he is always right when he goes against the conventional wisdom.
I wish, Republicans stop listening to main stream media and follow Rush ideas. We will be back in saddle for 2010.
I make up my own mind on issues, and am usually not surprised when I read something Rush said that sounds a lot like my blog entries, since we tend to be pretty much on the same page. Liberals seem to feel you can't think unless you 1) disagree with Rush, or 2) agree with them....and then they all queue up to buy the same stupid "smart" car, while listening to a former C- college student give them a poorly researched PowerPoint presentation about "Global Warming". I do think he has a lot of influence, otherwise the whole issue of the "fairness doctrine" wouldn't be such a hot topic among on the liberal meatwhackers agenda.
I have been a Republican all my life, but you people who listen to
Rush limbaugh are so far out on the right wing...so if this is what being a republican is all about these days...I'd rather be a democrat. what would Jesus say about tourture, what would Jesus say about the hate mongering, what would Jesus say about the name calling, the lies and all the other stuff? Rush is all wrong! I can't believe he got any positive polling numbers what so ever. In my mind the "conservative" I always knew we christians were in bed with a few greedy big buiness types...but with all the sour grapes and downright meaness coming from so called "conservative" commentators, this is nowhere where I want to be assosiated with. the big business conservative ideas have failed..move forward and stop fighting the writing on the wall we need to change and Obama has heck of a lot better ideas than anyone on the right.
MOST OF THESE WOMEN DEMOCRATS ARE UN INFORMED AND/ OR UNDER EDUCATED AND LOW INCOME.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY MAKES THEM FEEL IMPORTANT.
SOLUTION ---REPUBLICAN -WOMEN SHOULD PASS NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF THESE WOMEN (OR MEN) TO REPULICAN PARTY.
REPUBLICAN PARTY SENDS CONSTITUTION BASIC INFORMATION TO THESE PEOPLE ---- ALONG WITH A QUESTIONARE TEST ON THE CONSTITUTION INFORMATION .--- COMPLETED QUESTIONARE ENTITLES
THEM TO FOOD COUPONS ETC SUPPLIED BY REPUBLICAN COMPANYS ! WIN/ WIN COMPANYS GIVE COUPONS ANYWAY BUT WILL HELP EDUCATE PEOPLE REGARDING THE CONSTITUTION---- FOLLOW UP WITH SECTIONS OF THE STIMULUS PLAN THAT WOULD CHANGE OUR RIGHTS. COUPON REWARDS.
MAKE THESE PEOPLE FEEL IMPORTANT AT REPUBLICAN GATHERINGS GIVE THEM FREE MEALS -COUPONS ETC. OTHER QUESTIONARIES COULD FOLLOW REGARDING UNON INFORMATIONS--- MEDICAL
Rush rocks from a Florida chik that doesn't miss a day
Rush is quite intelligent...his views provoke people to think and to face truths re: each party. Where he misses the boat.......is in his "sytle" and in his "delivery". He likes to scream at times to make points; therefore,, many listeners reveal their focus listening because they've turned into screamers as well. At times such deliveries border on uncontrolled ANGER...at overall best, Rush/listeners project their respective angry tones. We can't miss RUSH's listeners for this very reason. What's the old saying, "There are many ways to tell someone to go to hell !" So... I ask Rush, "Who in their right mind wants to be screamed at and/or interrupted while speaking ???? Both habits are equally offensive--- Rush exhibits both. Maybe Rush needs to merely listen to his own shows IF he REALLY is interested in drawing more female listeners ! Bottom line: consider it's not "what" he says; it's "how" he says it.
I am a 50 years young black American, a father, son, an entrepreneur and successful business owner, and more importantly raised in a very liberal Democratic (raised that way)family. I was a Reagan Democrat before I became a Republican.
Conservatism is exactly what Black Americans needs but don't want any part of because it's easier and less responsible to be a liberal. Slavery by any other word is still slavery, and that's exactly what socialism and liberalism is.
Rush is the grand poobah and the ONLY mouthpiece of conservatism (apologies to Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, etc) that strikes fear into the hearts of liberals everywhere. I am a conservative independent voter. Thank God we have him to speak loud and clear for conservatives and not those gutless wonders who call themselves moderates and masquerading as "Republicans"!! I think I want to vomit!!!
Thanks Lance!
As a listener ... The "influence" questions don't make sense. Rush doesn't influence me, he teaches me; what I do with his "lesson" is then up to me.
Agree with most: It wouldn't take much to show that those that don't like Rush, haven't listened/engaged or are influenced by peers (media or local).
(My wife doesn't like Rush, oh, and she's NEVER listened - I still love her though!!!!)
Mega dittos from a white, female college student who is an avid Rush listener! I grew up a Rushbaby and I just love his humor, even if male oriented. By attending a very liberal university, I find myself craving to listen to Rush because he's the only one who says anything REASONABLE and RIGHT. I can scarcely stand reading the college newspaper editorials. Anyways, I don't know where I'm going with this, but I just wanted to put in for the college students who think Rush should keep doing what he's doing and teach this country how liberals want to keep us under government control. Thanks Rush!
I am a twenty three year old, white, conservative woman who reads his website pretty often. Thank you Rush for providing us with the truth.
I'm a 51 year old white mom of 2 daughters (one's a US Marine). We all love Rush. I think he, along with Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Alan Keyes, Bobby Jindal, Mark Steyn, Michelle Malkin, Anne Coulter, Thomas Sowell and so many others are incredibly brave to be carrying the torch for all of us in these scary days. I, for one, will be at my local "Tea Party" on Saturday to show my support for our free heritage, and for Rush's message in general. Keep going Rush... you've got lots of women on your side!
Our whole family agrees with Rush and support him. No one polled the girls in our family either. We appreciate him and the homework he does. We listen and/or read his site everyday. Thanks Rush!
MBF Rush is a conservative and that makes him my voice for the future. Keep it up, maybe the RINO's will finally realize you are the role model to REAL conservative ideals.
Old Limburger is just no longer relevant. He is just a comedin
and nothing more.
He yells and screams and blathers into the wind and only his aging devotees listen to him.
He is fat, gross and ugly. Obviously eats too much beef and drinks too much. A guy with Diabetes like him should be fare more careful. But then, they shouldn't use Viagra either or other drugs.
I am a highly educated Rush 24/7 Babe. It's a rare thing when I don't agree with Rush. He keeps me sane -- I live in WA state. My only fear is that one day, I'll turn on the radio or go to his site, and he won't be there anymore to inform and entertain us.
I'm a 55 yr. old public school teacher (female) who has Rush on during lunch detention and Hannity on during after school detention! I want to be educated by the best and the MahaRushie is the BEST! For those on this blog pretending to be conservative and anonymous this ole' school teacher can snuff you out... you tricky libs...I can smell you a mile away! And don't leave out Hannity - liberals are afearin' him these days as well - Rush has been his model and Sean holds him in high regard.
We need a boost, Rushie - we need our leader to lead us into 'mass' action with appropriate letter writiing campaigns, phone calling, etc. in unison on topics.... we need more coordination of efforts to demonstrate our feelings on these raging issues... we need be like waves rolling into Washington and onto the desks of our politicians.
Come on, Rushie! The real women are out HERE - we're the ones they didn't poll! Get the wave started Rushie and we'll show them what they can do with their poll!
gb
I am a female Rush listener who has had the pleasure of listening to his radio show since the time of the "Abortion Updates"! My hubby and I even had the opportunity to see him at the local university when he first started out! As far as I'm concerned he is a normal white male with great class and high morals! I feel he should have a very high approval rating because he actually listens to his callers and doesn't cut them off or argue like some other talk show hosts do.
I am a 56 year old female conservative...not included in the polling... and would just like to add a few comments. Rush Limbaugh is one of the BEST THINKERS I have come across. He has great INSTINCTS. His PREDICTIONS, based on the above, are incredibly accurate. His SENSE OF HUMOR is liberating. He is the most TALENTED at his craft in today's media, GENEROUS to a fault and a true GENTLEMAN. Rush is influential because his love of this country oozes through the airwaves and makes listeners understand why they are proud to be AMERICANS. Reagan made me feel this way.
Rush Limbaugh gives his best performances when conservative ideas are being abandoned and republicans are in the wilderness.
I tuned him out during the Bush years but I'm listening again now.
Rush is such a joke, I can't understand why he still has such a large listening audience. Here's a guy who was high on drugs for most of a decade, and only quit after losing his hearing and getting caught, trying to be the conservative conscience of America. He's a bigot, a blowhard, and a fool
Rush is grotesque and obese
I am a 23 year old grad student. Until I started listening to Rush during the day while at work with my Dad during the summers in high school, I truthfully never understood what the difference between conservative and liberal was. The drive-by media is a whore when it comes to spouting opinions, but they never explain their true intentions. All the libs talk about is hate Bush, hate Regan, hate any conservative. On the radio one day a caller asked Rush what the difference between conservative and liberal was. He eloquently and calmly used an analogy of someone privately buying a car, caring for it, and cherishing it versus someone being given all the cars he or she wants and never caring a thing about them.
From that day forward I knew I was a conservative to the core and so are the majority of people who actually take the time to understand the philosophy and logic behind politics and economics. Albeit Rush sometimes uses vulgar language and jokes to do that, but the point of a talk radio personality (and the reason why he has done so well) is that he articulates what people are thinking, as well as inform them. Along those same lines, conservatives are the only public figures that back up their claims with actual research filled with quantitative data. Their, and Rush's, opinions are based on principles proven time and time again throughout history.
It's a real shame that I, and most students, could not become politically aware until the summer after I graduated from high school, and that I learned more from a radio program than during the 12 years of government provided education before that.
Keep it up, Rush. Helping people realize the truth that has been there all along.
97% of African Americans voted for Obama. Yet 43% of African Americans think favorably of Rush Limbaugh? This poll is quite obviously wrong.
Does that also mean that 43% of white, conservative Christians approve of Michael Moore or Keith Olbermann or any other left-liberal stand-in? Of course not.
Rush Limbaugh appeals to the Nixonland crowd - people filled with cultural resentment at the "librul elites." They comprise about 25% of the population.
I LOVE RUSH!
I'm a 34 year old, divorced and working mother of three and graduate student to boot. I am also Filipino, Spanish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish...i.e. AMERICAN!
BTW: No pollster has ever asked me what I think.
Rush got me and my family through our depression with Clinton's election and he's helping us see clearly through this new joker.
Now that I'm teaching, I'm encountering students who are so brainwashed liberals. I go to Rush's internet site, get facts to dispute their opinions, and I try to set them back on the Right course.
I am 53, Prolife and a RushBabe... and happily married for 27 years. Go Rush!!!
"On the radio one day a caller asked Rush what the difference between conservative and liberal was. He eloquently and calmly used an analogy of someone privately buying a car, caring for it, and cherishing it versus someone being given all the cars he or she wants and never caring a thing about them. From that day forward I knew I was a conservative to the core and so are the majority of people who actually take the time to understand the philosophy and logic behind politics and economics."
Calm and eloquent lies are still lies.
Who on earth thinks they can get a fair description anything from a braying American radio pundit? Let alone the terms conservative and liberal! It truly beggars belief.
May I suggest, sir, that next time you need definitions of such pivotal, divisive and loaded political terms you consult an encyclopedia, a professor of politics at your university, or at the very least a dictionary.
What you are describing is akin to some credulous sop asking Goebels to explain the difference between jews and gentiles to him. He might get a calm and eloquent answer and he would no doubt identify more with the side that comes out better but in doing so he has learned nothing except a new prejudice.
I've learned from the Bush administration and listening to rush that the republican party is really a bunch of greedy fat cats who want de-regulation so they can steal money from the rest of us. They pandered to the values of good christian values, but have betrayed us all and have brought us to this horrible crisis we are now in. The right cares nothing for what I consider true christian values and are showing their true colors now. Stop listening to this crap that limbaugh spews. He and Fox noise are just bigots and greedy b@$tards. The Obama administration is trying to be president to all of us and the republican party does not care if their obstructionist attitudes destroy the planet or bankrupt the country they just want to see him fail. If Obama fails we all fail...so let's all start working together, and the first step would be to stop listening to blow hards like limbaugh!
WHY CAN'T WE VOTE RUSH INTO THE WHITE HOUSE?
As a Conservative Woman, I love Rush!
He is not in this for political sway. He's an entertainer and a business man; but he has passion for Conservative values that resonates with average Americans of every walk, race and gender.
People who don't like him haven't listened to him.He doesn't tell us what to think; he's the mouthpiece for what we already feel.
His humor should be taken as it is, humor. His "arrogance" should be taken as it is, humor. His political views, however, should be taken seriously; because they are who he is.
I wish I were 15 years older!!
As an politicaly independent American, I support Rush. I have never cared about someone's race/gender/etc...in politics. All I care about is whether a person's fiscal and social values mirror mine. And to his credit- Rush, most of the time, his values do mirror mine. For example- If there was a Black Gay Female Conservative running for Public office and ran on the ticket for limited government with business tax cuts, I would vote for her and I believe Rush would also.
As a woman, I LOVE Rush. He is smart, aggressive and insightful. Not to mention that he has gotten better looking with age! What is NOT to like?
"People who don't like him haven't listened to him.He doesn't tell us what to think; he's the mouthpiece for what we already feel."
Amen to that! I am a 38-year old married mom of 2 and I love Rush. He makes me laugh while articulating my conservative values in a clear and informaive way.
I didn't get polled either - but then again I never do...
Something very weird is going on in this comment thread. Like 9/10 of the responses are from female Rush fans And all of them are written in a similar style, echoing the same thoughts-"As a woman of ___ age, I LOVE Rush!! rabble rabble braindead libruls rabble rabble! Go Rush! Oh, and why do I never get polled?!?!?!"
Either there's some Rush Groupie site linking here, or there's multiple posts from the same person.
When black guys call Rush, they begin with: "I'm a black guy, and I agree with everything you say, Rush." MB - it's FAKE. Women don't say: "I'm a woman who's 46 and..." and black guys don't begin a conversation with: "I'm a black guy and ..." It's all FAKE! The poll is probably FAKE, too.
Did you ever see an infomercial with FAKE testimonials?
MB caught on.
I'm 33 , gay , conservative. I started to listen to Rush when I was in high school during Bush I.
Rush was outstanding back then...and extremely entertaining all the Updates with their unique opening themes.
He was a light during the last-gasp Soviet coup and during the darkness of the Clinton election
As time went on I became more unable to listen during the day until eventually the 2000s and I stopped listening altogether.
In the 2000s he revealed he was carrying too much water for the GOP and giving Bush too many passes because of the War on Terror.
I had done the same thing.. I excused Bush's spending because he was fighting the war.
Well we all know what a monumental mistake that was.
I didn't give Rush a chance until last year and I heard about Operation Chaos. Rush is resonating with me again just as he did during the Clinton years.
Though it's funny, so many of us conservatives were convinced that the Clintons were die hard Leftists... but it didnt turn out that way.
Now we are under the thumb of the Revolutionary Left. Rush is out there everyday educating the people about the threat and danger our nation is under.
The Left will hate him more than they ever hated him before.
Look for their nasty inhumane comments.. but look for them to be devoid of any substance.. all name-calling and nothing else.
The Left is pathetic. An angry mob of people concerned with controlling the lives of everyone and that's it.
Rush Limbaugh makes 1 million dollars a week, and speaks for the extremely rich, of which he is one. He's not one of you.
Class envy is unbecoming. Rush WORKED for his millions and if you don't have the drive or ambition to make the AMERICAN DREAM come true for yourself, then be happy with the limits you've placed on yourself and quit blaming the people that are successful.
"No suprise here Lance. Rush's ideas resonate with the majority of Americans. Not the fringe Left or the fringe Right."
Actually, the data show that it is the right and fringe right who like him and the left and fringe left that don't. I am a true moderate. I listen to him 2-3 times per week.
He is wrong on his facts way too often to be taken seriously and his 'interpretation' of history is hard to take seriously.
I am surprised that even that many women like him considering his track record, including but not limited to "women should not be allowed on juries where the accused is a stud" in his 35 Undeniable Truths of Life and "Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women access to the mainstream of society" on the Rush Limbaugh Show, August 12, 2005. He also stated (about women who were protesting against sexual harassment) that "They're out there protesting what they actually wish would happen to them sometimes."
As a woman who isn't even a Democrat, I will never respect a man who says such blatantly untrue and misogynistic things.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1882947,00.html
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