The folks at PoliticsNation Thursday night were stunned to learn that Rush Limbaugh is now an award-winning author. Limbaugh received the Children’s Choice Award for Author of the Year on Wednesday for “Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims.” Sharpton jokingly asked his guests Zerlina Maxwell and Abby Huntsman if this could possibly “be voter fraud from some kids on the right.”
Although it’s unlikely Maxwell even read Limbaugh’s book, she was quick to declare, “Absolutely, 100 percent, the kids did not vote for Rush Limbaugh.” Huntsman, a supposedly right-of-center voice on MSNBC, suggested that Rush may have “bought half the books himself.”
Sharpton and company are entitled to have their political disagreements with Limbaugh, but it’s a bit much that they can’t break from their hyper-partisanship for just a moment to congratulate Limbaugh on the honor.
Of course, petty swipes at Limbaugh by liberal media personalities for his foray into children’s books is nothing new, as we’ve documented previously, and to be fair, the Sharpton segment was rather tame compared to CNN’s Carol Costello saying she was “a little sick now” after learning about Rush’s book release or the Daily Beast’s Michelle Cottle slamming Limbaugh as a “degenerate rodeo clown.”
Here’s the transcript of the Politics Nation segment.
AL SHARPTON: Finally tonight, Rush Limbaugh just won a children's book award. Yes, you heard it right. Not only does Rush have a children's book, but he was awarded author of the year by the children's book council. Here's the real scary part: The winners are supposedly picked by kids who vote online. He won for this book titled “Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims." He accepted the award in typical rush fashion.
RUSH LIMBAUGH: Rush Revere and his talking horse Liberty time traveling, I want to thank all the children who voted. I love America. I wish everybody did. I hope everybody will.AL SHARPTON: Zerlina, could this possibly be voter fraud from some kids on the right?
ZERLINA MAXWELL: Absolutely 100%, the kids did not vote for Rush Limbaugh to win best book over "Divergent" the blockbuster movie and book. I think kids, certainly if they even know who Rush Limbaugh is, which is, I think, probably a tall order, you know, they certainly aren't like yay, a talking horse and a man talking about becoming a radio host when they grow up. I don't think that's an inspiring message for kids.
AL SHARPTON: Abby, there is only one way we that can tell. We want to see the photo ID of kids that voted.
ABBY HUNTSMAN: I don't know about you, Rev., but Rush Limbaugh is my favorite children's book author. He's truly amazing when he's coming to talking.
MAXWELL: He's not even my favorite radio host, so I don't know if he's going to be my favorite children's book author.
HUNTSMAN: I think to be nominated for this award you had to sell a certain amount of books, so maybe he bought half of them himself, I’m not quite sure. But you know Rev, what this does say--
SHARPTON: Zerlina, did Abby say that was her favorite children’s book? I'm going to leave it there. I’m going to call Abby’s father–
MAXWELL: Sarcasm, though.
SHARPTON: Zerlina Maxwell and Abby Huntsman, this was fun.
