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Limbaugh Rush

Aired October 01, 2003 - 13:44   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, our crack team has put together the network of Dixie cup string, bailing wire and duct tape, and I believe everyone can hear me. Raise your hand if you can hear me in Atlanta.
ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST" We can hear you.

O'BRIEN: You didn't raise your hand, but that's OK.

Joining us, Roland Martin in Dallas, Armstrong Williams in Washington.

Gentlemen, once again, thank you.

Roland, does Rush Limbaugh owe all of us an apology?

ROLAND MARTIN, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Absolutely. He's an unrepentant bigot, plus an idiot who knows nothing about football. As Phil Hoffman (ph) of the "Philadelphia Daily News" reported, if you look at Donovan McNabb's stats, they are better in his first four years than John Elway and Brett Favre, three-time Pro Bowler, which is not voted by the media, it is voted by the players, led his team to two straight NFC championship games. And it is ridiculous to suggest, to debase him and say, well, it's only because he's black, that's what it's all about, not talent, because he's black.

O'BRIEN: Those are strong words. Bigot and idiot I heard in just one sentence.

Armstrong, what do you think?

ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Well, I don't think Rush Limbaugh is a racist. I think the issue is the fact that he used Donovan McNabb. He could have talked about any quarterback that is struggling right now. I mean, even Donovan McNabb's passing rating has never gone above 60 percent, but you can find that with any quarterbacks in the league. I just think when he injected the hue of his skin and the race into his conversation, it made people question as to what was he trying to imply.

I think what he was intended on saying is that Donovan McNabb, as many critics have said, is overrated, and it's because he has a great defense, that why he's been made to look good, and now the defense is depleted with many injuries, and therefore, it's showing the character who Donovan McNabb really is.

O'BRIEN: Roland, go ahead. MARTIN: You know what, obviously Armstrong doesn't know football either. Rich Gannon has had a terrible first two games of the year. No one is suggesting that Rich Gannon is only -- he got the MVP last year, because he's a white guy playing quarterback. To sit it say, that well his passing rating and everything, the guy can pass, the guy can throw, and his own peers, the people who have to play against him, voted him to three consecutive Pro Bowls. You don't get voted to the Pro Bowl because you're an OK quarterback.

O'BRIEN: Let me ask you this. All right, Roland, let's get away from the football record. Let's talk about the issue...

MARTIN: That's Rush's problem, he got away from football, but go right ahead, Miles.

O'BRIEN: Yes, yes, but let's just talk about the whole issue of rooting, and why fans root for any particular individual on a sports field. There can be any number of factors. And what's the matter with a white person or black person rooting, at least in part, because you'd like to see an African-American succeed in that role?

MARTIN: Look if you...

O'BRIEN: Isn't that what he's implying here?

MARTIN: No, it's not what he's implying. He is implying that the media has gotten together with the NFL to boost up and raise up black quarterbacks who aren't quite as good. You don't see the media saying how Tony Banks should be starting, because he fumbles too much. You don't see anybody saying -- Quincy Carter...

O'BRIEN: Now, now. what about Doug Flutie, though? Here's a good example of a guy too short to play in the NFL, everybody hopes against hope that he does well, right? Because we want him to do well, because he's kind of an underdog and whatever. Armstrong, what do you think? Is that a good analogy?

MARTIN: He won the Heisman Trophy in college, and we can't ignore this. Doug Flutie is a winner.

O'BRIEN: All right, go ahead, Armstrong.

WILLIAMS: I think you make an excellent point. There are many people in this country, black and white, who roots for Doug Flutie and a lot of these black quarterbacks, because given 10, 15 years ago, they just did not exist. A lot of people rooting for them because they want them to succeed. There are a lot of blacks who root for teams because they're headed by black quarterbacks. That's just the reality of the world. I mean, you inject race, but it's not in a negative way.

It's OK to criticize Rush Limbaugh, but for my colleague to refer to him as an idiot and bigot, it's just really unfair, and I think it goes beyond...

(CROSSTALK) O'BRIEN: Gents, gents, gents, can I interject one thing quickly, because just we got a little clip from Rush's radio show. It just happened. Let's listen to what he had to say and then we can bat this around a little bit -- here's Rush.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUSH LIMBAUGH: I said something that they find disagreeable. I said something that not only do they not agree with, I said something they prefer not to hear, and so they have risen up here and are demanding my head on a platter, simply because I haven't said what they want to hear. If they're really was this so-called freedom of speech in this country, there would be a tantamount admission that there are all kinds of opinions everywhere. Whether an opinion is about a particular player or an opinion is about the media, it's just an opinion, it's just words.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Well, of course, words can oftentimes mean a lot of things, right, Roland?

MARTIN: He's an idiot. He just sat there and said well, you know, I got free speech. He wasn't talking about Donovan McNabb the player. He basically said he has been boosted up because he is black, not because he's a winner on the field.

O'BRIEN: I don't know I saw that there.

MARTIN: No, he said -- well, you know, it's free speech...

O'BRIEN: I mean, he said he's overrated, and he said the media would like to see him succeed. A lot of us would like him to see him succeed for all kinds of reason, right?

Armstrong?

WILLIAMS: Also then, listen, Rush Limbaugh is right again, it is his opinion. He was giving his assessment, the team they were speaking of at the time were the Philadelphia eagles, not talking about anybody else. He gave his opinion, he gave his assessment, and there are people in this country, right or wrong, who feel and have said for a long time that Donovan McNabb is overrated, and now that he's struggling, the Philadelphia Eagles have not won at home, he was giving his opinion as to why...

MARTIN: Come On, Armstrong, he said he's overrated because he's black.

WILLIAMS: But the reality is now, is that you've got to face the fact about whether or not this quarterback can measure up during these times.

MARTIN: No, Armstrong, he said he's overrated because he's black. And also I find it offensive, Miles...

WILLIAMS: He did not say he was overrated because he was black.

O'BRIEN: No, that's not what he said. No, no, no, can I quote him -- gentlemen, gentlemen, gentlemen, let me quote him. He said, "I think what we have here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well." Is that a racist statement in and of itself, Roland?

MARTIN: No, he made the point that he is being hyped or whatever because they want to see a black quarterback succeed. It's the inference. And for you to make to make the statement -- not only this, I also find offensive, Miles, ESPN, when Donovan McNabb had his press conference, I watched on CNN the McNabb press conference. Four ESPN networks didn't even cover the press conference. They are all -- it's ridiculous that...

WILLIAMS: Is that racist?

MARTIN: They're not a news -- they don't cover that stuff, come on.

WILLIAMS: Miles, they will break into a news conference on an injury report. I watch ESPN News all the time.

O'BRIEN: All right, Armstrong, final word, and then we got to go.

Go ahead, Armstrong.

WILLIAMS: Look, they have a policy in the NFL now. If NFL teams are interviewing, and if they don't interview and consider minority coaches in the interview process, they can be fined. What do we call that?

O'BRIEN: All right, gentlemen, we have to leave it there unfortunately. I don't think we settled this one, did we? Roland Martin, Armstrong Williams, it turned out to be a great debate once everybody could hear each other. We appreciate you joining us on CNN live from.

WILLIAMS: Thank you, Miles.

Take care, Roland.

MARTIN: Take care, Armstrong.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 1, 2003 - 13:44   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, our crack team has put together the network of Dixie cup string, bailing wire and duct tape, and I believe everyone can hear me. Raise your hand if you can hear me in Atlanta.
ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST" We can hear you.

O'BRIEN: You didn't raise your hand, but that's OK.

Joining us, Roland Martin in Dallas, Armstrong Williams in Washington.

Gentlemen, once again, thank you.

Roland, does Rush Limbaugh owe all of us an apology?

ROLAND MARTIN, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Absolutely. He's an unrepentant bigot, plus an idiot who knows nothing about football. As Phil Hoffman (ph) of the "Philadelphia Daily News" reported, if you look at Donovan McNabb's stats, they are better in his first four years than John Elway and Brett Favre, three-time Pro Bowler, which is not voted by the media, it is voted by the players, led his team to two straight NFC championship games. And it is ridiculous to suggest, to debase him and say, well, it's only because he's black, that's what it's all about, not talent, because he's black.

O'BRIEN: Those are strong words. Bigot and idiot I heard in just one sentence.

Armstrong, what do you think?

ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Well, I don't think Rush Limbaugh is a racist. I think the issue is the fact that he used Donovan McNabb. He could have talked about any quarterback that is struggling right now. I mean, even Donovan McNabb's passing rating has never gone above 60 percent, but you can find that with any quarterbacks in the league. I just think when he injected the hue of his skin and the race into his conversation, it made people question as to what was he trying to imply.

I think what he was intended on saying is that Donovan McNabb, as many critics have said, is overrated, and it's because he has a great defense, that why he's been made to look good, and now the defense is depleted with many injuries, and therefore, it's showing the character who Donovan McNabb really is.

O'BRIEN: Roland, go ahead. MARTIN: You know what, obviously Armstrong doesn't know football either. Rich Gannon has had a terrible first two games of the year. No one is suggesting that Rich Gannon is only -- he got the MVP last year, because he's a white guy playing quarterback. To sit it say, that well his passing rating and everything, the guy can pass, the guy can throw, and his own peers, the people who have to play against him, voted him to three consecutive Pro Bowls. You don't get voted to the Pro Bowl because you're an OK quarterback.

O'BRIEN: Let me ask you this. All right, Roland, let's get away from the football record. Let's talk about the issue...

MARTIN: That's Rush's problem, he got away from football, but go right ahead, Miles.

O'BRIEN: Yes, yes, but let's just talk about the whole issue of rooting, and why fans root for any particular individual on a sports field. There can be any number of factors. And what's the matter with a white person or black person rooting, at least in part, because you'd like to see an African-American succeed in that role?

MARTIN: Look if you...

O'BRIEN: Isn't that what he's implying here?

MARTIN: No, it's not what he's implying. He is implying that the media has gotten together with the NFL to boost up and raise up black quarterbacks who aren't quite as good. You don't see the media saying how Tony Banks should be starting, because he fumbles too much. You don't see anybody saying -- Quincy Carter...

O'BRIEN: Now, now. what about Doug Flutie, though? Here's a good example of a guy too short to play in the NFL, everybody hopes against hope that he does well, right? Because we want him to do well, because he's kind of an underdog and whatever. Armstrong, what do you think? Is that a good analogy?

MARTIN: He won the Heisman Trophy in college, and we can't ignore this. Doug Flutie is a winner.

O'BRIEN: All right, go ahead, Armstrong.

WILLIAMS: I think you make an excellent point. There are many people in this country, black and white, who roots for Doug Flutie and a lot of these black quarterbacks, because given 10, 15 years ago, they just did not exist. A lot of people rooting for them because they want them to succeed. There are a lot of blacks who root for teams because they're headed by black quarterbacks. That's just the reality of the world. I mean, you inject race, but it's not in a negative way.

It's OK to criticize Rush Limbaugh, but for my colleague to refer to him as an idiot and bigot, it's just really unfair, and I think it goes beyond...

(CROSSTALK) O'BRIEN: Gents, gents, gents, can I interject one thing quickly, because just we got a little clip from Rush's radio show. It just happened. Let's listen to what he had to say and then we can bat this around a little bit -- here's Rush.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUSH LIMBAUGH: I said something that they find disagreeable. I said something that not only do they not agree with, I said something they prefer not to hear, and so they have risen up here and are demanding my head on a platter, simply because I haven't said what they want to hear. If they're really was this so-called freedom of speech in this country, there would be a tantamount admission that there are all kinds of opinions everywhere. Whether an opinion is about a particular player or an opinion is about the media, it's just an opinion, it's just words.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Well, of course, words can oftentimes mean a lot of things, right, Roland?

MARTIN: He's an idiot. He just sat there and said well, you know, I got free speech. He wasn't talking about Donovan McNabb the player. He basically said he has been boosted up because he is black, not because he's a winner on the field.

O'BRIEN: I don't know I saw that there.

MARTIN: No, he said -- well, you know, it's free speech...

O'BRIEN: I mean, he said he's overrated, and he said the media would like to see him succeed. A lot of us would like him to see him succeed for all kinds of reason, right?

Armstrong?

WILLIAMS: Also then, listen, Rush Limbaugh is right again, it is his opinion. He was giving his assessment, the team they were speaking of at the time were the Philadelphia eagles, not talking about anybody else. He gave his opinion, he gave his assessment, and there are people in this country, right or wrong, who feel and have said for a long time that Donovan McNabb is overrated, and now that he's struggling, the Philadelphia Eagles have not won at home, he was giving his opinion as to why...

MARTIN: Come On, Armstrong, he said he's overrated because he's black.

WILLIAMS: But the reality is now, is that you've got to face the fact about whether or not this quarterback can measure up during these times.

MARTIN: No, Armstrong, he said he's overrated because he's black. And also I find it offensive, Miles...

WILLIAMS: He did not say he was overrated because he was black.

O'BRIEN: No, that's not what he said. No, no, no, can I quote him -- gentlemen, gentlemen, gentlemen, let me quote him. He said, "I think what we have here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well." Is that a racist statement in and of itself, Roland?

MARTIN: No, he made the point that he is being hyped or whatever because they want to see a black quarterback succeed. It's the inference. And for you to make to make the statement -- not only this, I also find offensive, Miles, ESPN, when Donovan McNabb had his press conference, I watched on CNN the McNabb press conference. Four ESPN networks didn't even cover the press conference. They are all -- it's ridiculous that...

WILLIAMS: Is that racist?

MARTIN: They're not a news -- they don't cover that stuff, come on.

WILLIAMS: Miles, they will break into a news conference on an injury report. I watch ESPN News all the time.

O'BRIEN: All right, Armstrong, final word, and then we got to go.

Go ahead, Armstrong.

WILLIAMS: Look, they have a policy in the NFL now. If NFL teams are interviewing, and if they don't interview and consider minority coaches in the interview process, they can be fined. What do we call that?

O'BRIEN: All right, gentlemen, we have to leave it there unfortunately. I don't think we settled this one, did we? Roland Martin, Armstrong Williams, it turned out to be a great debate once everybody could hear each other. We appreciate you joining us on CNN live from.

WILLIAMS: Thank you, Miles.

Take care, Roland.

MARTIN: Take care, Armstrong.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com