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Rush Limbaugh Defends His One-Sided Food Fight With Michelle Obama

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Rush Limbaugh thinks his criticism of Michelle Obama's eating habits -- and calling her a hypocrite -- was "highly civil" discourse and he's surprised by the "grief" he got over his comments.

That's what he said on his radio program Tuesday. He started the week by asserting that Mrs. Obama doesn't follow her own healthy eating advice. As evidence, the conservative talk show host cited a high-fat dinner she enjoyed over the weekend in Vail, Colo. -- "feasting on ribs" is the way he put it -- when she could have been munching on roots and berries.

"Some people are suggesting that my comments were below the belt," the talk show host said. "Well, take a look at some pictures. Given where she wears her belts -- I mean she wears them high up there around the bustline. Isn't just about everything about her 'below the belt' when you look at the fashion sense she has?"

Mrs. Obama's healthy eating initiative for children, "Let's Move," has been a target for conservatives like Limbaugh, Sarah Palin and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), who see it as a move by the Obama administration toward a "nanny state" in America. The first lady is taking on childhood obesity by campaigning to convince kids and their parents to eat healthier foods.

To critics, such as Limbaugh, that means she should relegate herself to the strictest of dietary regimens -- "roots, berries and tree bark" is what he suggested on Monday.

In the Washington Post, columnist Dana Milbank said Limbaugh apparently thinks Mrs. Obama is a "big, fat idiot" -- referencing the title of a book by Al Franken that took Limbaugh to task for his physique and his politics. "The first lady's detractors don't have a legitimate beef," Milbank wrote. "She's never told people to cut out junk food; she's suggested they eat junk less and exercise more."

No comment from the first lady.

Folo Tom Diemer on Twitter http://twitter.com/tomdiemer

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68 Comments

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fpfp040408

Limbaugh is morbidly obese who should be open to helpful suggestions from everywhere. Yet he twists, lies , and attacks, guess he is sensitive about the issue as he is so incredibly fat.

February 24 2011 at 12:15 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
fpfp040408

Limbaugh's listeners are down over 58%. Advertisers are staying away from Limbaugh. Limbaugh is irrelevant and adds nothing , he is totally useless. Limbaugh will soon be gone and forgotten , just like Beck.

February 24 2011 at 11:48 AM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
tepeko

It is amazing how people like Rush, Palin, Backmann and Beck can drive the liberals crazy with the most innane comments! I recently watche Hardball with Chris Matthews, at a time when the Middle East was burning, governors were attempting to save their state's budgets, and Mtthews spent mnost of his time talking about something the above 4 people had to say that day!
O'Reilly had a Democrat and a Republican on his program discussing the situation in Wisconsin, ad Matthews had two liberal Democrats on his program going over comments Palin has made over the past several years from a book by one of her ex-aides who saw a way to make a few bucks! I guess Chrios is just searching for that next tingle up his leg!

February 24 2011 at 12:14 AM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
rbjllj

No being obese isn't a laughing matter. I believe parents need to get a back bone and not allow their children to eat greasy or junk food.

But they need to learn from a young age and not wait till the child is over weight or obese. They need to learn from example, not just do as I say and not as I do.

February 23 2011 at 9:59 PM Report abuse +6 rate up rate down Reply
msjanemck

I recently saw Rush on a golf program. I could not believe the size of this man. Being obese is not a laughing matter.

February 23 2011 at 8:36 PM Report abuse +7 rate up rate down Reply
jrrg

How much money has the fast food industry spent to gin up this criticism? If we could get kids and parents to just focus on healthy school lunches, we might get somewhere. How did junk food get inside the schools, anyway? And isn't it clear to these people the Mrs. Obama has no legal authority to force anyone to follow her recommendations. When Lady Bird Johnson wanted to beautify the highways by restricting billboards, the highway advertising lobby came after her with a rope because she was successful in getting laws passed restricting billboards. Mrs. Obama has not ventured into the legislative arena. Her's are thoughtfu recommendations that parents can adopt or ignore.

February 23 2011 at 7:54 PM Report abuse +5 rate up rate down Reply
fpfp040408

GOD BLESS MICHELLE OBAMA : a brilliant , beautiful, active and caring woman, mother, wife and FLOTUS.

February 23 2011 at 6:53 PM Report abuse +9 rate up rate down Reply
jhnsvic

Does anyone realize the total absurdity of this blog/discussion or Rush Limbaugh's rant? EVERY and I'll repeat this, EVERY current history First Lady had a forum/platform. Lady Bird Johnson's "Lets Keep America Beautiful", Nancy Regan's, "Just Say No", and Laura Bush's,"No Child Left Behind", this is Michelle Obama's. Nothing more, nothing less, not a goverment conspiracy to tell us how to eat. I mean really is it so bad to try and get our children active and eating better. I mean come on people use some COMMON SENSE here? NO matter what political party you identify with. Isn't there just a few more pressing issues to worry about?

February 23 2011 at 6:24 PM Report abuse +8 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to jhnsvic's comment
Joe

Please. Parents should be in control of their childrens diet. Of course, in the communities Ms. Obama is preaching to, unfortunately there aren't many two parent families. Teenage girls getting pregnant, having kids, getting 'help' from taxpayers while the fathers have no responsibility, except try to score an apartment in the same housing complex the taxpayers paid for the girl and her kid(s).

We've got a thousand page law regulating what children can eat in school, but we can't bring a cake to the bake sale. The first lady, with all her intelligence, should have tried to tackle a real issue like single teenage parents on welfare.

February 23 2011 at 7:47 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
efgcpa

Sometimes books can be judged by their cover. Mrs. Obama appearance proves she is in shape. Limbaugh's appearance proves he is of a "round" shape. Mrs. Obama walks the talk, while Limbaugh just talks, and talks, and talks, and talks........

February 23 2011 at 5:35 PM Report abuse +15 rate up rate down Reply
RON

Rush, of all people, should not critize anybody abount their eating habits.
He should just look in the mirror.........and then push away from the table.

February 23 2011 at 5:30 PM Report abuse +15 rate up rate down Reply

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