Why Run Radio Ads on Rush?

Responding to this thread:

I have been hearing anti-Obama ads on Rush Limbaugh today. Isn’t this a waste of our donations? If you are listening to El Rushbo, you aren’t voting for Obama, and you aleady support gun rights.

It’s not really that simple.  For one, I don’t know how extensively Rush covers Second Amendment issues.  I know he’s sympathetic, but does he cover all the bases?  AHSA and a lot of the Blue Dogs have been doing everything they can to fool hunters and shooters into thinking Obama supports the Second Amendment.  There may actually be people in Rush’s audience base who need to be reached with that message, even if it’s only to give them another reason to get out in November to vote against him.

It also never hurts to frame an argument that people can use when they talk to people who might not have gotten the message.  There is value in someone saying “You know, I heard on an NRA ad that Obama tried to ban hunting ammunition.” to a friend who might not have good information.  That’s probably the greatest value in preaching to the choir.  NRA goal in advertising is to get the information out there, and get people involved with gun rights.  Rush Limbaugh’s audience is likely to be receptive to that, which makes them a good target for advertising.  Saying that NRA shouldn’t be advertising on Rush is like saying as an NRA Election Volunteer Coordinator, I shouldn’t be canvassing gun clubs, gun shows, and gun stores with anti-Obama literature. A good fisherman casts his net where the fish are.

7 Responses to “Why Run Radio Ads on Rush?”

  1. Matt says:

    What do you expect? A fair election ? If you do, well you are a wrong.

  2. DirtCrashr says:

    But Rush already has wheelbarrows of money! ;-)

  3. BillH says:

    On our recent trip to visit family in Washington state we met a number of folks who are not pro-Obama, but who were wishy-washy at best on gun ownership. Even a man I had considered fairly conservative (for Washington) was not receptive to the idea of minimal gun control and widespread gun ownership. We’ve a LONG way to go. Any advertising is ok by me. And advertising pro-gun to the anti-Obama crowd can’t hurt. There is a ton of misinformation out there.

  4. hazmat97 says:

    I used to listen to Rush all the time until I got my Sirius satellite radio. All the times I listened to him, not once did he have any segments dedicated to 2A stuff. He mentioned it in passing, but never covered it in depth. That’s part of the reason I like Sirius and their Patriot 144. Not only do they have Cam and Company every night at 9 EST, but almost all of their conservative talk hosts bring up 2A-related stuff on a regular basis. Sad, ain’t it? Got to spend $100/yr to get decent 2A programming.

  5. David Adams says:

    The Obama AHSA ads have been running during Rush and other conservative talk shows in the Richmond area and have probably also been running on conservative talk radio elsewhere in Commonwealth. So it makes sense to counter those ads.

  6. George says:

    Rush is pro gun and pro NRA, but guns aren’t really his thing. He did say yesterday “Thank god for the NRA and the ads that they are running.”

  7. Saladman says:

    Limbaugh claims that the audience/market research info he gets shows a much larger independent and liberal audience than people would think. If true, that’s your explanation right there.

    Also, I’m another listener who’s never heard Rush talk about guns, the second amendment or self defense issues in any more detail than a single broadly pro-gun sentence. I didn’t even hear him mention Heller vs. DC until after the decision, and then without getting into it. I assume he’s either pro-2A but not personally fired up about it, or perhaps he considers it a business decision to stay away from the issue. (Michael Savage has talked guns occasionally, but he’s also said guns are one of the issues talk radio hosts should stay away from if they’re smart.)