Appearing on Monday's The Last Word, MSNBC contributor Goldie Taylor called Rush Limbaugh "dangerous," and accused him of "pimping his audience" in response to the conservative talk radio host's reaction to President Obama's statement on the George Zimmerman verdict. After a clip of Limbaugh, Taylor responded:
My emotionally honest response? He's a carnival barker. You know, Rush Limbaugh is not the first in history to take advantage of waves of populism. This happens to be a more extended wave, something I think brought on by the election of an African-American President. But, you know, the real answer here, Rush Limbaugh is pimping his audience. He is taking advantage, fanning the flames of fear for his own personal gain.
A few hours earlier, as she appeared on MSNBC's PoliticsNation, Taylor accused people who predicted riots after the Zimmerman verdict of thinking there is "something sinister in the heart of every African-American."
Below are transcripts of relevant portions of PoliticsNation and The Last Word with Lawerence O'Donnell from Monday, July 22, on MSNBC:
#From the Monday, July 22, PoliticsNation on MSNBC:
GOLDIE TAYLOR, MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR: And those are the same voices, ironically enough, who are accusing us of that today. At the end of the day, the very people who are saying that, you know, violent riots broke out, they're the very same people who believe that there was something sinister about Trayvon Martin. They're the very same people who think that there is something sinister in the heart of every African-American. And that's the most important component of this.
#From the Monday, July 22, The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell on MSNBC:
ARI MELBER, GUEST HOST: The right wing had to wait till today to hear what they should think about the President's speech from their fearless leader, Rush Limbaugh.
(...)
MELBER: I'm Ari Melber, in for Lawrence O'Donnell. The Republican congressional leadership has been strategically silent about President Obama's Friday speech on Trayvon Martin and criminal justice. But today we did hear from one of the anti-establishment conservative leaders.
RUSH LIMBAUGH CLIP #1: A little history lesson for you. If any race of people should not have guilt about slavery, it's Caucasians. The white race has probably had fewer slaves and for a briefer period of time than any other in the history of the world.
LIMBAUGH CLIP #2: No other race has ever fought a war for the purpose of ending slavery, which we did. Nearly 600,000 people killed in the Civil War. It's preposterous that Caucasians are blamed for slavery when they've done more to end it than any other race, and within the bounds of the Constitution to boot.
MELBER: Oh, boy. Rush Limbaugh says he first learned about the President's speech on Friday evening. He was at a country club party, naturally, and a woman in his social circle suggested the President might be on to something.
LIMBAUGH CLIP #3: A woman said, "Yes, and, you know, he had a point. It could have been Obama 34 years ago." And I, folks, I came close to losing it. I realized I was a guest, and I dialed it back somewhat. And I said, "Yeah, but it didn't."
LIMBAUGH CLIP #4: What is all of this could have, would have, might have? It didn't happen to him. What happened to Trayvon Martin did not happen to him. Probably because he never did what Trayvon Martin did! It didn't happen to Obama!
LIMBAUGH CLIP #5: Making a point to go to the White House press room. Pointing out it could have been him 35 years ago. I don't know. That's the kind of, I just think that's utterly irresponsible. It is certainly not healing. It's not even emotionally honest. But it is exactly who I've always thought Obama is.
(...)
MELBER: Goldie, I want to come right to you and get your emotionally honest response to Rush.
GOLDIE TAYLOR, MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR: My emotionally honest response? He's a carnival barker. You know, Rush Limbaugh is not the first in history to take advantage of waves of populism. This happens to be a more extended wave, something I think brought on by the election of an African-American president.
But, you know, the real answer here, Rush Limbaugh is pimping his audience. He is taking advantage, fanning the flames of fear for his own personal gain. And that's really the story here. He really does need a history lesson.
The civil war was not fought over the question of slavery. It was follow the over the nullification and states' rights. Lincoln said famously, "If I could keep the Union together and not free a single slave, I would do it." And so I think Rush Limbaugh not only needs, you know, a history lesson, he needs a gut check. At the end of the day, I think some people find him comical. Other people find him sort of, you know, innocuous. I think he's dangerous, because he fans the flames of division in this country at a time when we need it the least.
