FACT CHECK: "Phony Soldiers" and Limbaugh's Revisionist History

[ProSense]

FACT CHECK: "Phony Soldiers" and Limbaugh's Revisionist History

Radio Talk-Show Host Falsely Claims Comments Taken Out of Context; Records Show Otherwise

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Misinformation: On September 28, Limbaugh asserted that his "phony soldiers" comment was a reference to Jesse MacBeth, who pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for pretending to be an injured Iraq war veteran.

Fact: Limbaugh did not refer to MacBeth during his September 26 broadcast until 1 minute and 50 seconds after making his "phony soldiers" comment. Indeed, at no point during his September 26 radio show did Limbaugh refer to any soldiers he considered to be fake prior to making his "phony soldiers" comment.

Moreover, as the blog Crooks and Liars and Media Matters noted, in the September 28 broadcast, Limbaugh expanded the group of "phony soldiers" to include Vietnam veteran Rep. John P. Murtha (D-PA) and Pvt. Scott Thomas Beauchamp, who is currently serving in Iraq. In asserting that he was originally "talking about a genuine phony soldier," Limbaugh went on to state: "And by the way, Jesse MacBeth's not the only one. How about this guy Scott Thomas who was writing fraudulent, phony things in The New Republic about atrocities he saw that never happened? How about Jack Murtha blanketly accepting the notion that Marines at Haditha engaged in wanton murder of innocent children and civilians?"

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Misinformation: Limbaugh twice claimed that rather than speaking generally of soldiers who support withdrawal from Iraq, that he was "talking about one soldier with that 'phony soldier' comment, Jesse MacBeth."

Fact: As the transcript makes clear, Limbaugh actually referred to "phony soldiers," plural. Responding to a caller's statement that supporters of withdrawal "like to pull these soldiers that come up out of the blue and talk to the media," Limbaugh responded, "The phony soldiers" .

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Misinformation: Limbaugh further asserted that "Media Matters had the transcript, but they selectively choose what they want to make their point." To support this claim, Limbaugh purported to air the "entire" segment in question from the September 26 broadcast of his show. Prior to airing the edited clip, Limbaugh said: "Here is, it runs about 3 minutes and 13 seconds, the entire transcript, in context, that led to this so-called controversy." After the clip ended, Limbaugh stated: "That was the transcript from yesterday's program, talking about one phony soldier. The truth for the left is fiction that serves their purpose, which is exactly the way the website Media Matters generated this story."

Fact: In fact, the clip he aired had been edited. Excised from the clip was a full 1 minute and 35 seconds of the 1 minute and 50 second discussion that occurred between Limbaugh's original "phony soldiers" comment and his reference to MacBeth, the full audio of which can be heard here:

http://mediamatters.org/items/200709280010

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Media Matters should fact check Clear Channel.

[bryant69]

1. He is now claiming his phoney soldiers (plural) also referred to

people trying to scam the Veterans system by pretending to be soldiers.

Not sure how that fights what he was talking about, but hey, he's Rush, he must be right.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[BOSSHOG]

2. Once again Media Matters kicks the drug addicts ass

But limbaugh is alive and well on the radio because of the ignorant trash who get their "news" from him. Ya know the ones, they support the troops. Except when they don't.

[Bitwit1234]

3. America going down in flames..

I wonder what this country is going to be like in 30 years. Our democratic politicans don't have the guts to take on these rogue republicans and clean this government up.

They are just going to get worst. This is how all the great civilizations of the world fell. Ours from corporate greed.

[Rainbowreflect]

4. And now he is attacking Wes Clark.

It simply amazes me that his (and others) heads do not spin right off their necks.

[Coexist]

5. and they incorrectly identify Harry Reid as saying Rush is on drugs again

in fact, it was Tom Harkin D-Iowa who said it.

But don't let any of these facts get in your way, guys.

[Disturbed]

6. He knows that he is in trouble so he lies about what he said.

Isn't that SOP for RWing Assholes?