With support from the University of Richmond

History News Network

History News Network puts current events into historical perspective. Subscribe to our newsletter for new perspectives on the ways history continues to resonate in the present. Explore our archive of thousands of original op-eds and curated stories from around the web. Join us to learn more about the past, now.

The Legacy of Rush Limbaugh (Podcast)

The talk radio host Rush Limbaugh died last week. He was 70.

His rise to prominence was the realization of a decades-old conservative dream, ushered in by Reagan administration deregulation that did away with requirements for balance on radio and television.

Mr. Limbaugh turned politics into edgy, meanspirited entertainment, tapping into a latent demand for pure conservative talk. His audience was huge, as was his influence on the Republicans. His approach — demonizing opponents, rejecting compromise, embracing conspiracy theories — shaped the party of former President Donald Trump.

Today, we look back on Rush Limbaugh’s career and how he came to have such outsize influence.

Read entire article at New York Times