After it was publicly revealed conservative talker [1]Rush Limbaugh had interest in taking an ownership stake in the National Football League’s St. Louis Rams, it was just a matter of time before the [2]usual culprits on the left would attempt to make an issue of it.
However, MSNBC’s Ed Schultz isn’t waiting for the left-wing blogosphere to set the “Stop Rush’s Bid for the Rams” agenda. He took it to Limbaugh on his Oct. 6 program immediately.
“There’s also some comical football news out there,” Schultz said. “The drugster’s talking about buying the St. Louis Rams. That’s right, the leader of the Republican Party is bidding for ownership of a team that’s been giving more money to Democrats than any other team has over the last 10 years, at least that’s what the survey says. He’ll have to do something about that I’m sure.”
And Schultz revisited his 2003 remarks about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, insisting they were “racially charged” despite [3]Limbaugh arguing otherwise.
“Also, remember that Rush once got kicked off the club of ESPN because he said some very surprising racially charged comments about a quarterback,” Schultz said. “But now he wants to be back in the game. Now, how’s he going to do? Well – you know, he’s got plenty of money. Heck maybe he could do the games. I do know what his team’s going to look like – very white and very underpaid.”
And earlier in the day, on CNBC’s Oct. 6 “Street Signs,” fill-in anchor Mark Haines wondered if the owners should accept Limbaugh’s bid, in reference to those remarks.
“Have they ever turned anyone down?” Haines said. “Here’s my question – this is kind of a club – these owners. Don’t the other owners have to vote whether they accept – I mean this is a man who six years ago ticked off just about everybody with the Donovan McNabb comment about black quarterbacks.”
CNBC sports reporter Darren Rovell said it could play a role, but ultimately it would come down to who was willing to pony-up the cash for the team.
“It’s going to be money,” Rovell said. “It is also according to how they vote. I would not entirely take that out of the equation. I will also say though that this Rams team, they’ve been trying to sell for a long time and if he comes through with the right number, there’s a chance they will be able to forgive him for what he said, but I do think that’s a factor. That will automatically not go in the garbage.”
The NFL isn’t completely devoid of political figures. MSNBC’s “Countdown” host Keith Olbermann doubles as an anchor for NBC’s Sunday night NFL broadcast for the pre-game and halftime shows and he certainly has said some very bad things about conservatives over the years.