In the aftermath of public criticism that led to him being dropped from an NFL team bid, Rush Limbaugh used the opinion page of the Wall Street Journal to fire back at his critics for using “the race card.” That has now led to a threat by fellow radio talk host Rev. Al Sharpton to sue Limbaugh.
Striking back at Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson for their allegations of racism on the part of Limbaugh, the conservative host cited past controversies they were involved in. For Jackson, was his use of the term “Hymietown” to refer to New York in 1984. For Sharpton it was a court finding him guilty of defaming a New York prosecutor for falsely accusing him of rape in the 1987 Tawana Brawley case and then reference to his activities at the time of the 1991 Crown Heights riot and a 1995 shooting spree at a Harlem store.
Sharpton ignored the reference to the defamation finding, but threatened to sue Limbaugh unless he retracts or clarifies the other two cases cited. “He doesn’t have the right to lie and accuse people of crimes,” Sharpton said of Limbaugh, in a report by the New York Daily News.
RBR-TVBR observation: Both Sharpton and Limbaugh are experts at generating publicity for themselves. So long as the media plays up the word-bombs that each lobs at the other, the volleys will continue. And that’s probably good news for the radio stations that carry each of the talk hosts.
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